Journal articles and Discussion papers
Coastal cities are dynamic, complex systems which need energy, water, food and other resources to function and support diverse activities. If managed properly cities have the potential to offer better socio-economic conditions and quality of life to residents as well as the wider nation within which they are situated. The integrated adaptive management and sustainable development of coastal cities is therefore essential.
The Western Indian Ocean contains 16% of the world’s coral reefs, and the region is now thought to host the second peak of coral reef biodiversity globally. Coral reef ecosystems underpin the economies of the countries in the region, particularly fisheries and tourism sectors, and provide livelihood opportunities and income for local communities.
Bioconstructions such as coralligenous outcrops and maërl beds are typical Mediterranean underwater seascapes. Fine-scale knowledge on the distribution of these sensitive habitats is crucial for their effective management and conservation. In the present study, a thorough review of existing spatial datasets showing the distribution of coralligenous and maërl habitats across the Mediterranean Sea was undertaken, highlighting current gaps in knowledge.
Climate variability and change are among the biggest challenges of the 21st century. Like in many other areas globally, the coastal communities of Tanzania have always been facing climatic varia- bility at various time scales. Using focus group discussion and a household survey, this study ana- lyzes the perceptions of climate variability and change and the strategies for coping and adapta- tion by the selected coastal rural and peri-urban communities in Tanzania.
The sea cucumber industry, which is known to be particularly vulnerable to overexploitation and collapse, has been under tremendous pressure in Mauritius since the mid-2000s. Consequently, in 2010, the Ministry of Fisheries imposed a two-year ban on the collection of sea cucumbers, which was later extended for another four years (2012–2016) to avoid the collapse of the fishery.
A comprehensive seafloor biomass and abundance database has been constructed from 24 oceanographic institutions worldwide within the Census of Marine Life (CoML) field projects. The machine-learning algorithm, Random Forests, was employed to model and predict seafloor standing stocks from surface primary production, water-column integrated and export particulate organic matter (POM), seafloor relief, and bottom water properties.
A comprehensive seafloor biomass and abundance database has been constructed from 24 oceanographic institutions worldwide within the Census of Marine Life (CoML) field projects. The machine-learning algorithm, Random Forests, was employed to model and predict seafloor standing stocks from surface primary production, water-column integrated and export particulate organic matter (POM), seafloor relief, and bottom water properties.
The accurate quantification of the three-dimensional (3-D) structure of mangrove forests is of great importance, particularly in Africa where deforestation rates are high and the lack of background data is a major problem. The objectives of this study are to estimate (1) the total area, (2) canopy height distributions, and (3) above-ground biomass (AGB) of mangrove forests in Africa.
There is a rising concern regarding the accumulation of floating plastic debris in the open ocean. However, the magnitude and the fate of this pollution are still open questions. Using data from the Malaspina 2010 circumnavigation, regional surveys, and previously published reports, we show a worldwide distribution of plastic on the surface of the open ocean, mostly accumulating in the convergence zones of each of the five subtropical gyres with comparable density.
