Management Strategies to Mitigate Anthropogenic Impacts in Estuarine and Coastal Marine Environments: A Review

Abstract

A wide range of anthropogenic activities impacts estuarine and coastal marine environments including interactive climate and non-climatic drivers of change that can significantly degrade biotic communities and habitats. Many of these environments are in decline due to changes in ecosystem structure and function resulting from multiple stressor effects. In addition, inadequate governance has supported a patchwork of single issues or sectoral approaches rather than integrated management of multiple human uses and activities to maintain healthy, productive, resilient, and sustainable ecosystems and the provision of goods and services. Ecosystem-based marine spatial planning is a viable framework for a more effective governance structure and management of these vital coastal environments. An important component of this approach is a holistic effort to assess the environmental, economic, and societal impacts of anthropogenic activities. Thus, a multidisciplinary integrated approach is preferred that links ecological, physical, and socio-economic systems, increasing the protection of resources and societal benefits. For degraded estuarine and coastal marine ecosystems, restoration and rehabilitation initiatives are important intervention strategies used to reverse the loss of habitats and biotic resources and to support management programs. Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are an integral element of marine management plans to conserve and sustain estuarine and coastal marine environments by protecting threatened ecosystems and their resources from anthropogenic activities. National and international regulatory frameworks and directives are also in place to protect and conserve these environments.

The role of diseases in unifying the health of global estuaries

“…Human stressors were the next major category that pathogen-based studies were categorized under, which is associated with economic losses (Elliott and Whitfield, 2011). Studies discussed pathogens and disease outbreaks in the context of anthropogenic activities increasing fecal bacteria loads, pathogenic viruses and nutrients in rivers, and estuaries and coastal areas being targets of point and diffuse sources such as sewage discharges and agricultural runoff (Kennish, 2022). Studies also discussed this in the context of a variety of physical, Tallam and White 10.3389/fmars.2023.1185662 Frontiers in Marine Science frontiersin.org chemical, and biological processes (often disturbed or influenced by humans) inducing the co-flocculation of microorganisms, with mineral particles and organic matter resulting in the likelihood of pathogenic outbreaks (Malham et al, 2014).…”

Unraveling agricultural water pollution despite an ecological policy in the Ayeyarwady Basin

“…This connection underscores the importance of sustainable farming practices to protect water quality [ 2 , 25 ]. Mitigating water pollution is crucial for the ecosystem, human health, and addressing climate change impacts [ 7 , 26 ]. Heightening awareness to mitigate the adverse impact of water pollution is timely [ 7 ].…”

Spatio-temporal assessment of the impacts of the trends in physical and biogeochemical parameters on the primary production of the Gulf of Guinea

“…It supports a high quantity of fisheries and aquaculture because of the high nutrients inputs from coastal sources and upwelling [ 18 , 19 ]. Despite these important contributions, the coastal seas have been the most impacted by human activities including overfishing, marine transport and engineering activities, plastic and agricultural pollution in form of nutrient enrichment [ 20 , 21 ].…”