Coastal macrophytes, such as seagrasses, saltmarsh vegetation or macroalgae provide many highly valuable ecosystem services, including carbon and nitrogen sequestration, coastal defence and increasing biodiversity. However, due to the accelerating development of coastal zones, these habitats are also among the most endangered in the world. Focussing on Cádiz Bay Natural Park, which has a noteworthy abundance of saltmarshes and seagrasses, we highlight some of these key processes. Using remote sensing and modelling we attempted to upscale these processes so as provide a first estimate of the value (in terms of ecosystem services) of macrophyte habitats within the bay. Finally, we provide predictions of the effects of potential changes in macrophyte species distributions, as may occur in relation to climate change.

Morris, Edward P. et al.-- Trabajo presentado en el III Simposio Internacional en Ciencias del Mar (ISMS12), celebrado en Cádiz del 24 al 26 de enero de 2012.

Peer reviewed