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5D + E - Risk communication + From risk mgnt to sust. mgnt? (MOP/190) Risk assessment of metal contamination in European of southwest Atlantic wetlands. Blasco, Julián1, Bebianno, Maria Joao2, 1 Instituto de Ciencias Marinas Andalucia (CSIC), Puerto Real, Cádiz, Spain2 CIMA, University of Algarve, Faro, Faro, Portugal ABSTRACT- Coastal lagoons are areas of ecological and economic importance in littoral systems. Because they are source of nutrients for coastal ecosystems and estuaries. They contribute to the sustainability fisheries of these areas and therefore habitat natural for aquatic avifauna species. By the other hand, they are affected by anthropogenic activity and it provokes environmental degradation. The potential effect of contaminants on this fragile ecosystems, mainly metals are particularly important. Coastal lagoons of southwest Iberian Peninsula of the coastal zones of Portugal and Spain are ecosystems of ecological relevance and the most of them are protected areas. A conceptual model was established for to evaluate the environmental risk assessment on the metal levels in these lagoons of the Iberian Peninsula. The results demonstrate they are submitted to important environmental impact but no environmental risk assessment have been carried out. Therefore, in this work the environmental risk, due to metal contamination, has been characterised in three ecosystem models (Bay of Cadiz, Odiel saltmarshes and Ria Formosa lagoon). Risk assessment was evaluated and the results obtained were very important for a regional sustainable development. Key words: wetland, risk assessment, metals, coastal management |
