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Forty-four shore-normal transects along the Northwestern Mediterranean coast between the mouth of the Rhône River (France) and Valencia City (Spain) were sampled during the REDIT-I (September 1998, [R1]) and REDIT-II (December 1999, [R2]) campaigns. Polychaete distribution patterns on shallow littoral fine sands (10 to 50 m water depths) were analyzed at a regional scale. A total of 359 species of polychaetes were identified which represents 38% of all polychaete species recorded in the western Mediterranean. Four main soft-bottom communities were identified from the samples in the area: Littoral Fine Sands, Littoral Sandy Mud, Terrigenous Coastal Mud and Detritic Sand. Predominantly sandy environments were characterized by Ditrupa arietina and Owenia fusiformis while Lumbrineris latreilli, Hilbigneris gracilis and Sternaspis scutata were numerically dominant in muddy environments. Biological diversity assessments at different temporal and spatial scales are required by the European Marine Strategy Framework Directive (2008/56/EC) in accordance with criteria and methodological standards of Good Environmental Status (GEnS). Selected indicators for descriptors are explored based on this mesoscale assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] Beach management is often poorly adapted to beach settings and beach users. [•] Decision-making rarely considers users opinions, although it was highly encouraged. [•] We assess and compare users’ expectations of a natural beach and an urban beach. [•] Behind a seemingly homogeneity, there were significant differences between beaches. [•] A differential management is needed, stressing the awareness and education of users. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The relationships between two traditional economic valuation methods, Travel Cost Method (TCM) and Hedonic Prices (HPs) are tested in a sun-and-beach tourist-oriented area in the Northwestern Mediterranean coast in order to appraise/value beach integral quality and its attributes. Traditional economic methods do not seem to capture the aggregate quality of beaches, although this study has shown that positive relationships were found between HP and integral beach quality. Instead, these methods are more (positively) related to specific aspects such as Services and Facilities Quality, Natural Conditions Quality (dune system development) and Access and Parking Quality. The results of this study show that these methods do not sufficiently value beach social–ecological resources at the study site. In this paper we also compared users’ economic beach valuation (using TCM and HP) with the expenditure on general maintenance and sediment management by local managers. The results show an important gap between investments made by managers (less than 1 million €/year) and users’ economic valuation (more than 1 million €/day at the peak of the season). These results suggest the feasibility of establishing a beach management tax for beach-related economic activities that could be used to improve the weakest aspects of beach management in the region. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The global NaGISA (Natural Geography in Shore Areas) initiative focusing on long-term monitoring of coastal biodiversity has recently been expanded to the Mediterranean. On the basis of datasets from four Mediterranean hard substrate sites and by using the most abundant polychaete family (Syllidae), two questions are addressed in this study: (a) Is the biodiversity sampled in the two NaGISA sites, based on the family Syllidae, representative of the regional one of the Mediterranean Sea? (b) Are local syllid taxo-communities assembled at random from the regional species pool? Randomisation tests determining to what extent local species lists and their phylogenetic relationships are assembled at random from a regional one showed that at small observational scales (e.g. replicate units, depths) the phylogenetic diversity is assembled at random from the one known to exist locally. It is assumed, therefore, that local processes here have a stronger influence on community assembly than historical-evolutionary processes. The latter is in accordance with previous results derived from using polychaetes to test the same hypotheses at a pan-European level. Local syllid biodiversity in the western Mediterranean is a random subset of the Mediterranean one, whereas that of the NaGISA sites in the eastern Mediterranean is only under certain conditions. Therefore, the currently observed biodiversity of the Mediterranean sites can be considered as representative of that of the entire regional sea only under certain assumptions, as far as the syllid taxo-communities are concerned, demonstrating the potential of the taxon as a surrogate of the polychaete biodiversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Beaches are complex social-ecological systems that provide several goods and services improving human well being. Both an excessive development of the Tourism industry and an increase of coastal hazards have been identified as important factors inducing coastal degradation and affecting the natural supply of these services. Nevertheless, traditional beach management has been concentrated on geomorphic hazards and beaches recreational uses, overlooking their broader functions. Risk analysis is recognized as a tool to assist decision making, helping managers to prioritize issues and focus efforts in the activities with the greatest potential impact. However, as beach management, traditional risk management overlooks beach environmental values, focusing on damages to assets and not considering the total risk in management. In response to the need to incorporate integrated and proactive tools which assist coastal managers, we apply a beach multi-risk assessment in S'Abanell beach (Spanish Mediterranean), in order to prioritize the most risky hazards and the most affected ecosystem services, helping the manager to decide where to allocate resources to cope with hazards affecting beach's functionality. Seven coastal hazards and five ecosystem services have been characterized. River floods and Coastal storms were the riskiest hazards, while Recreation & Aesthetic was the most affected ecosystem service in S'Abanell beach. Risk valuation has been obtained based on hazards intensities and the ecosystem services economic valuation. The inclusion of these non-market values in the risk assessment improves risk analysis, and should help managers to make more accurate decisions in an integrated beach management process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Beach management has traditionally concentrated on recreational uses and geomorphologic processes, overlooking environmental values. Traditional risk analysis also overlooks environmental services focusing on socio-economic damages and only accounting for a part of the total risk. To overcome this situation, a systemic approach dealing with ecological and social dimensions is required. This paper proposes a risk analysis framework in which coastal hazards and beach ecosystem services are jointly considered. The first phase consists of the definition of the risk profile. This is done by building the beach Pathway of Effect, where links between coastal hazards and ecosystem services are identified following the DPSIR approach. The second phase, risk assessment, includes risk valuation and hazard prioritization, which will help managers to decide where to allocate resources to cope with hazards affecting beach functionality. The methodology was validated at S’Abanell beach (Spanish Mediterranean coast), which provides several ecosystem services and is subjected to a variety of hazards. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Benthic indices are typically developed independently by habitat, making their incorporation into large geographic scale assessments potentially problematic because of scaling inequities. A potential solution is to establish common scaling using expert best professional judgment (BPJ). To test if experts from different geographies agree on condition assessment, sixteen experts from four regions in USA and Europe were provided species-abundance data for twelve sites per region. They ranked samples from best to worst condition and classified samples into four condition (quality) categories. Site rankings were highly correlated among experts, regardless of whether they were assessing samples from their home region. There was also good agreement on condition category, though agreement was better for samples at extremes of the disturbance gradient. The absence of regional bias suggests that expert judgment is a viable means for establishing a uniform scale to calibrate indices consistently across geographic regions. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A spatial value transfer analysis was performed to generate baseline estimates of the value of ecosystem services in the coastal zone of Catalonia, Spain. The study used the best available conceptual frameworks, data sources, and analytical techniques to generate non-market monetary value estimates that can be used to identify scarce ecosystem services among competing coastal uses. The approach focused on natural and seminatural, terrestrial and marine systems, which provide essential services that are not considered in current economic markets. Results show that in 2004 a substantial economic value of $3,195 million USD/yr was delivered to local citizens by surrounding ecosystems. In a spatially explicit manner, the approach illustrates the contribution made by natural environmental systems to the well being of communities in the coastal zone of Catalonia. It is hoped that this study will highlight the need to consider these coastal systems in future management strategies to ensure their proper maintenance and conservation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Beaches are the main asset of tourist destinations in the Northwestern Mediterranean. When developing beach management frameworks, managers request reliable information for decision-making. Frequentation patterns are one of the main, environmentally significant aspects to be considered. We discuss the use of frequently visited beaches in the light of increases in tourist frequentation and overcrowding problems. This paper presents a photographic protocol to obtain baseline information on frequentation patterns to measure: sand availability per beach user, number of users, user time on the beach, and turnover coefficients. A comparison of beach frequentation patterns is made over an 18-year period. Although the resident population, the number of secondary homes and associated tourism activities increased sharply over this period, only a slight increase was observed in the number of users. Beach users may have restructured their behaviour and now substitute some of the time previously spent on beaches for other leisure activities. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: ICZM relies heavily on the definition of major multidisciplinary characteristics/elements of the coastal area of interest. Usually, only terrestrial boundaries are considered, which tend to respond to a specific sectoral problem and can be determined by administrative limits. In this study, we propose a method for establishing a decision-making tool to inform boundary delimitation for ICZM initiatives that is proactive and widely applicable as opposed to reactive and problem specific. This method integrates environmental, economic and societal characteristics of the marine and terrestrial boundaries of the coastal zone, starting at the boundary of the jurisdictional zone of influence (shoreline units), increasing in detail through the definition of their influential areas from jurisdictional, environmental or socio-economic perspectives (functional areas) and, within them, specifying the finest scale at which relevant indicator data may be obtained (analysis units). [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This paper describes the environmental indicators GIS of the Catalan coast, Spain. The spatial data model is based on vector and raster layers with three main modules: the biodiversity, the general biophysical and the socioeconomic. Presently, the database has a number of pressure and impact indicators that have been used to model the components and structure of the system and are suggested to build ecological resilience. Special interest has been given to the analysis of functional groups of species that are relevant to the dynamics of the coastal system, and preliminary results are presented. This system constitutes a user-oriented analytical and monitoring tool for coastal zone managers and researchers. Although, the system is under development it is expected that resulting spatial indicators of environmental condition can be used to promote more sustainable coastal strategies and actions in the Catalan coast. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The present status of beach management carried out by the lowest level of administration (municipalities) along the Catalan coast (NE Spanish Mediterranean) was analysed to detect the main problems and priorities. This analysis was undertaken by analysing answers to a questionnaire provided by personnel involved in beach management in 38 municipalities covering a coastline of 430km. As tourism is the main economic activity in the area, current beach management is recreationally oriented. The beach is considered a product/service on offer to users and visitors. The main concern of managers was the appearance of sediment-management related problems. Although municipalities are the main “receivers” of erosion-induced problems, actions to solve or counteract such problems are decided, designed and executed at a different administrative level. This reflects the complex administrative scheme governing the coastal area in Spain, where three different administrations have different jurisdictional powers over a narrow piece of land. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The European Union Marine Strategy Framework Directive requires the Good Environmental Status of marine environments in Europe's regional seas; yet, maritime activities, including sources of marine degradation, are diversifying and intensifying in an increasingly globalized world. Marine spatial planning is emerging as a tool for rationalizing competing uses of the marine environment while guarding its quality. A directive guiding the development of such plans by European Union member states is currently being formulated. There is an undeniable need for marine spatial planning. However, we argue that considerable care must be taken with marine spatial planning, as the spatial and temporal scales of maritime activities and of Good Environmental Status may be mismatched. We identify four principles for careful and explicit consideration to align the requirements of the two directives and enable marine spatial planning to support the achievement of Good Environmental Status in Europe's regional seas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Beach waste and litter composition and evolution on popular urban (located in the main nucleus of the municipality) and urbanized (located in residential areas outside the main nucleus) beaches of the Costa Brava (Catalan coast) were assessed during the bathing season. Waste and litter production (amount and composition) were affected by urbanization and varied during the summer. Urban beaches had higher densities of waste deposition and lower percentages of organic, domestic and other miscellaneous waste than urbanized beaches. Litter characteristics were also influenced by type of beach, and varied during the season as a consequence of beach use and cleaning practices, but not environmental factors. Urbanized beaches obtained higher scores for aesthetic quality of sand than urban beaches, and small-sized litter tended to accumulate during the season in the beach of Lloret Centre. The most important problems are management of recyclable materials, litter left by users on the sand, and separation of sand from litter. In addition, current efficiency of mechanical cleaning is low, especially in the withdrawal of cigarette butts. These analyses highlight problems that should be addressed in future management of area beaches. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]