Discussion of the paper by DeFeo et al. 2009 on threats to sandy beach ecosystems.

1. TREATS TO SANDY BEACH ECOSYSTEMS:
A REVIEW
Defeo et al, 2009
Paper discussion
By
Mervin E. Pérez

2. GOAL
• Provide physical and ecological attributes of sandy
beach ecosystems and their main antropogenic
pressures.

3. ecological features
• Dissipative beach
• Has a wide, low gradient swash zone
http://www.ozcoasts.gov.au/conceptual_mods/beaches/wdb.jsp

4. • Reflective beach
• Steeper, narrow beach and swash zone
http://www.ozcoasts.gov.au/conceptual_mods/beaches/wdb.jsp

5. SAND DYNAMIC

6. SANDY ECOSYSTEM FAUNA
Birds
Turtles

7. Mitigate
erosion
Buffering Recycle
zone system
Human
recreation
Sandy Biodiversity
Ecosystems
Services
Transition Nursery
area areas
Food Nesting
Chain areas

8. Recreation
Nourishment
Cleaning
(restoration)
Exploitation Sandy Pollution
Ecosystems
Stressor
Urban Exotic
expansion species
Climate
Mining
change

9. Recreation
Cleaning or Nourishment
grooming (restoration)
Exploitation Pollution
Sandy
Ecosystems
Stressor
Urban Exotic
expansion species
Climate
Mining
change

11. TO DISCUSS
• How big is the problem?
• Can we mitigate threats in sandy ecosystems?
• Do we have tools to mitigate the stressors?
• How can we deal with paradigm issues?
• What are the best methods to mitigate negative factors on sandy ecosystems?

12. EXERCISE
THE CASE OF THE MONTERRICO MARINE
PROTECTED AREA IN GUATEMALA

14. HOW CAN WE RESOLVE THE PROBLEM?
AUDIENCE OPINION

15. WHAT WE NEED TO RESOLVE
• Climate change in sandy ecosystems (long-term and large-scale stressor)
• The effect of cleaning frequency on sandy ecosystems
• Off-road vehicles could affect ecological organization
• Ecological features long-term data are necessary
• Physical disturbance frequency, intensity and exotic species
• Protected areas and multi-disciplinary analysis (paradigm shifts)