Browsing by Author "Restrepo, Juan Camilo"
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- Assessment of the Magdalena River delta socio-ecological system through the circles of coastal sustainability frameworkPublication . Gallo-Velez, David; Restrepo, Juan Camilo; Newton, AliceRiver-mouth systems and deltas are hotspots where many of the coastal syndromes can be found. Moreover, these systems provide essential ecosystem services (e.g., recreation, food provisioning, protection against natural hazards). The present study focuses on the socio-ecological system at the delta of the Magdalena River in the central Caribbean Region in Colombia. This research seeks to assess the multidimensional sustainability of the Magdalena river-mouth system (MRm-SES) to improve the knowledge basis for its integrated management. To do so, an assessment tool named "Circles of Coastal Sustainability" (CCS) was used to evaluate the system splitting it into four domains (environmental, social, economic and governance) that were divided into 5 categories each. These domains were evaluated through a total of 52 indicators distributed like this: 16 for the Environmental domain, 16 for the Economic domain, 12 for the Social and Cultural domain and, 8 for the Governance domain. The results show that the overall sustainability of the MRm-SES is classified as "Satisfactory." None of the domains is in "Excellent" or "Bad" conditions. However, the evaluation of the categories shows that four (4) of them have "Poor" conditions (i.e., Social Benefits, Demographics, Economic Security, and Resources Management). Hence, it is recommended to put those categories at the centre of the discussion to define management strategies (e.g., Preserving and restoring habitats; tackling sources of pollution and excessive sediment; local reduction of net Greenhouse Gas and adaptation to climate change; participation of local communities in the management design and implementation), without disregarding the interrelation with the other categories and dimensions. Finally, it is argued that despite all the improvement opportunities, the CCS is a valuable tool to evaluate and communicate with different stakeholders (academic community, managers and decision-makers, local communities, etc.), to improve the sustainability of coastal systems in Colombia and the world.
- Editorial: highly intervened estuaries: impacts, dynamics and system responsesPublication . Restrepo, Juan Camilo; Newton, Alice; Van Maanen, Barend; Restrepo-Angel, Juan Darío; Becker, MariusEstuaries are among the most degraded and threatened environments worldwide (Scown et al., 2023; Syvitski and Saito, 2007). Highly intervened estuaries with altered environments are the result of human-engineered interventions (e.g., sluice gates, jetties, dikes, impoundments, training walls, port facilities, and dredging), land reclamation, changes in upstream land use, and human-induced pollution (e.g., Nichols et al., 1986; Lotze et al., 2005; Pye and Blott, 2014). Human interventions have modified the hydrodynamics, morphology, and geochemistry of these systems, leading to large deviations from the expected natural state and functioning (e.g., Jiang et al., 2012; Brunier et al., 2014; Zhu et al., 2017; Zarzuelo et al., 2018; Wang and Liu, 2019; Van der Spek and Elias, 2021). Such deviations exhibit non-linear patterns, adding greater complexity to the dynamics of estuarine systems under climate change scenarios. Moreover, anthropogenic actions have altered the estuarine capability to adjust to the environmental change, including responding to increased pressures in the context of climate change. As a result, highly intervened estuaries exhibit a broad range of anomalous responses, including changes in circulation patterns, disturbances in mixing conditions, accelerated siltation, closure of distributary channels, shifts in residence time, severe shoreline retreat, estuarine turbidity maximum zone changes, and the accelerated loss of ecosystem services (e.g., filtering and nutrient recycling) (e.g., Yang et al., 2003; De Jonge et al., 2014; Yang et al., 2015; Restrepo et al., 2020; Guo et al., 2021).
- A socio-ecological assessment of land-based contamination and pollution: The Magdalena delta, ColombiaPublication . Gallo-Velez, David; Restrepo, Juan Camilo; Newton, AliceRiver mouth systems, such as estuaries and deltas are important earth system transitional zones linking the land and coastal marine systems. They funnel anthropogenic contaminants and pollutants from the activities in the river catchment into the marine environment. The present study is focused on the Magdalena River-mouth at Bocas de Ceniza where land-based contamination and pollution are important issues. These were subsequently analysed using an expanded DPSIR framework (Drivers Pressures, State, Impacts Responses). Based on export coefficients and secondary information, the loads of BOD, TSS, Nutrients and solid waste from different sources were identified and compared to prioritize their management within the study area. Findings suggest that contaminants generated in the study area may be insignificant compared to the inputs from the Magdalena River, but they can have a significant impact on the state of local ecosystems. Of all the sources analysed, agriculture and livestock are theoretically the largest contributors of nitrogen (i.e., 14.84 t d(-1) and 48.99 t d(-1)) and phosphorus (i.e., 5.90 t d(-1) and 19.46 t d(-1)) in the basin 'Direct to the Caribbean' and 'Cienaga de Mallorquin' (that altogether are identified as DtC+) and the 'Western bank of the lower Magdalena' (DtM-LM), respectively. In the case of BOD, domestic and industrial wastewaters contribute about 5.10 t d(-1) and 98.43 t d(-1) in the same basins. Contributions of faecal coliforms were more than 4 orders of magnitude higher in untreated wastewater, being 4.86 x10(16) NMP d(-1) and 1.78 x10(16) NMP d(-1) in the lower Magdalena and Caribbean catchments, respectively. Inadequately managed waste and plastic represent a serious problem for the Caribbean Basin. Solid waste generated within the study area and coming from the Magdalena basin and the Caribbean Sea, reaches the coast and deteriorates its visual quality, affects mangrove ecosystems, and generates impacts on coastal populations. By basin, the DtM-LM is where the greatest pollutant loads are generated. However, in terms of impact on human well-being, it is the DtC+ that bears the brunt where pressures are translated in impacts such as increased maintenance and cleaning cost of beaches, reduction or loss of tourism revenue, adverse health effects to vulnerable groups, reduce protection against natural hazards, increased living costs and loss of cultural values.