Coastal hardening: knowledge status, impacts and future projections

• Grant number: 16/11947-7
• Support type: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctorate
• Effective date (Start): January 01, 2017
• Effective date (End): February 28, 2022
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Ecology - Applied Ecology
• Cooperation agreement: Coordination of Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES)
• Principal researcher: Ronaldo Adriano Christofoletti
• Grantee: Aline Sbizera Martinez
• Home Institution: Instituto de Saúde e Sociedade (ISS). Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP). Campus Baixada Santista. Santos , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 15/03804-9 - Environmental governance of macrometropolis paulista in face of climate variability, AP.PFPMCG.TEM
• Associated scholarship(s): 17/26269-7 - Effects of urbanization on the ecological functioning of kelps, BE.EP.PD

Abstract

The biodiversity and functioning of marine ecosystems are threatened by the burgeoning of coastal cities. Biodiversity loss and decrease in ecological functions of natural environments have a direct effect on the health and well-being of the human population. Therefore, it is important to understand how stressors associated to urbanization affect natural systems so that managers can implement management strategies that minimize environmental impacts and maintain the provision of ecosystem services. Among urban stressors, coastal hardening or the construction of grey infrastructure (i.e. built infrastructure with the purpose of accommodating only human needs without considering environmental sustainability) is one of the worldwide major threats to ecosystems. The issue is more worrying in developing nations, such as Brazil, where urban expansion is happening faster. This situation becomes worse in Brazil because of the lack of knowledge on the extension of built grey infrastructure, their impacts on the environment and the areas of natural habitats that were lost by such constructions. The coast of São Paulo has a long occupation history and is also going through fast urbanization. This scenario urges baseline information that allows the improvement of coastal urban development. This project aims to map the spatial distribution of grey infrastructures on the coastline of São Paulo, based on bibliographic survey, to fulfil the knowledge gap of coastal hardening on the coast of São Paulo, thereby increasing the knowledge status in Brazil. Future projections of coastal hardening will be modelled based on the mapping and data of socio-economic drivers of the mapped grey infrastructures. The outcomes of this project will provide a baseline for planning future coastal development. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

PARDAL, ANDRE; MARTINEZ, ALINE S.; CHRISTOFOLETTI, RONALDO A.; KARYTHIS, SIMON; JENKINS, STUART R.. Impacts of copper contamination on a rocky intertidal predator-prey interaction. Marine Pollution Bulletin, v. 162, JAN 2021. (17/09641-0, 16/11947-7, 16/24551-4)

MARTINEZ, ALINE S.; MAYER-PINTO, MARIANA; CHRISTOFOLETTI, RONALDO A.. Functional responses of filter feeders increase with elevated metal contamination: Are these good or bad signs of environmental health?. Marine Pollution Bulletin, v. 149, DEC 2019. (16/24551-4, 16/11947-7)

MARTINEZ, ALINE S.; UNDERWOOD, TONY; CHRISTOFOLETTI, RONALDO A.; PARDAL, ANDRE; FORTUNA, MONIQUE A.; MARCELO-SILVA, JOAO; MORAIS, GISELE C.; LANA, PAULO C.. Reviewing the effects of contamination on the biota of Brazilian coastal ecosystems: Scientific challenges for a developing country in a changing world. Science of The Total Environment, v. 803, JAN 10 2022. (15/26859-3, 16/11947-7, 16/24551-4)