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A coastal lagoon is a “shallow coastal water body separated from the ocean by a barrier, connected at
least intermittently to the ocean by one or more restricted inlets” (Kjerfve, 1994). Coastal lagoons are
typically found along low-lying coastlines, affected by a tidal range < 4 m and generally < 5 m deep (Bird, 1994; Kjerfve,1994).
Coastal lagoons are important ecosystems because these support a wide range of natural services, highly
valuable for society. These complex systems provide food, storm protection, tourism, among others. So,
they contribute to the overall productivity of coastal waters by sustaining a variety of habitats, including
salt marshes, seagrasses, and/or mangroves particularly important for many fish and shellfish species.
Water quantity and quality in a lagoon is influenced by the rate at which the lagoon loses or gains water from
exchange with the ocean, surface runoff, evaporation, precipitation and groundwater (Allen et al., 1981).
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Universidade do Algarve. Centro de Investigação Marinha e Ambiental