Coastal marine ecosystems

Abstract

Ibero-America harbors an extraordinary biological diversityand the Latin American and Caribbean region is considereda superpower in terms of biodiversity, with majorlong-term economic potential. A significant proportion ofthis biodiversity is found in the coastal and marine ecosystemsof countries belonging to the Ibero-American Networkof Climate Change Offices (RIOCC), including, among others,mangroves, estuaries, marshes, seagrass beds, coral reefs,macro-algae forests, and deep-sea regions.Coastal and marine ecosystems of RIOCC countries arealready being affected by direct and indirect human activityand by the effects of climate change. Deforestation, soilconversion for agriculture, shellfish farming, dam construction,large-scale salt mining, and the discharge of pollutedeffluents into the sea, among other stressors, exacerbateimpacts associated with climate change on Latin America?scoastal marine environments.Ocean temperatures are increasing and certain consequencesinclude rising sea levels, changes in the distribution,behavior and reproduction of marine species, andalterations of ocean current patterns. The results of theseanthropogenic and climate transformations impact ecosystemsby significantly reducing their resistance and resilience,jeopardizing their capacity to provide goods and services,and even leading to the extinction of certain species. Severeimpacts on these flows of goods and services for humanwell-being are expected, such as, among others, reduced economicbenefits from the migration of catch species, reducedemployment, loss of traditional knowledge of coastal populations,and a decline in the social cohesion of coastal communities,ultimately leading to greater inequality in the region.The impacts of climate change on coastal and marine ecosystemsin RIOCC countries are apparent in a context ofpre-existing vulnerability. Vulnerability originates from humanactivities that take place around the coastal marine ecosystems(tourism, unplanned urban expansion, pollution from landbasedsources, and the aquaculture boom). These representa threat to fish populations, corals and mangroves. Some ofthese impacts, such as coral bleaching in the Caribbean, havealready been observed in the region, especially linked to risesin temperature and the loss of mangrove cover in Latin America.Human activities located in low-lying coastal areas of theregion also contribute to the increased exposure and vulnerabilityof human populations to the effects of climate change,such as sea level rise, coastal erosion and tidal swells.The sustainable and integrated management of coastalenvironments is one of the pillars of Ecosystem-based Adaptation,enabling the enhancement of ecosystem functionsand services. Ecosystem-based Adaptation is a commonpractice in marine and coastal areas and is relevant for themanagement of mangroves, seagrasses, coral reefs andsandy beaches. These ecosystems have the natural capacityto regulate or mitigate impacts generated by, for example,storms and floods, or driven by the effects of sea levelrise. Sustainable management of coastal environments (e.g.fisheries and aquaculture) contributes to Ecosystem-basedAdaptation by enhancing ecosystem functions and services.Protected marine areas are one of the main mechanismsfor restoring coastal and marine ecosystems. In regionsprotected for conservation purposes, the recovery of species,population abundance and ecosystem functions has beenachieved through the regulated use of marine and coastalorganisms. RIOCC countries have a significant proportion ofcoastal marine ecosystems under some form of legal protection,although protection is not actually provided in practice.Options are available for climate change adaptation inRIOCC countries. These options include the restoration ofkey species and ecosystems for the recovery of ecologicalfunctions, reestablishment of species and populationsto increase the resilience of coastal marine ecosystems,and Ecosystem-based Adaptation. Projects in several RIOCCcountries are focusing on restoring altered ecosystems sothat they may contribute to climate change adaptation andmitigation. Sustainable fisheries and aquaculture projectsare also available and these could lead to the recovery ofecosystem services.In order to define local, national and regional adaptationactions, further basic research is required to understandthe current state of ecosystems, the ecosystem servicesthey provide, and their responses to observed and projectedfuture changes. Basic and applied research in RIOCC countries,especially in Latin America and particularly in marineand coastal environments, requires greater and improvedinstitutional, governmental and international support. Trainingof professionals in different areas of basic, social, economicand legal sciences is needed to generate the necessaryknowledge for maintaining, protecting, conserving,restoring, and monitoring marine and coastal ecosystems,their species and ecological functions.