1. Nutrient Dynamics in the Ria Formosa Lagoon: Implications for Surveillance Monitoring of Chemical Quality Elements in Accordance with the Water Framework Directive Alice Newton 1 and John D. Icely 2 IMAR and Sagremarisco ELOISE Conference in Portoroz, Slovenia, 15-18 November 2004 OAERRE, part of the ELOISE cluster EU contract nº EVK3-CT1999-0002

2. Making our science useful How can we use the scientific results from ELOISE projects? How can we use the scientific results from ELOISE projects? ELOISE projects can supply valuable information for managers ELOISE projects can supply valuable information for managers An example: data for the implementation of the Water Framework Directive An example: data for the implementation of the Water Framework Directive

3. Added value and financial benefits As Daniel Conley said on Monday, scientists need data, data, data As Daniel Conley said on Monday, scientists need data, data, data Managers need to implement expensive monitoring plans €€€€€€€€! Managers need to implement expensive monitoring plans €€€€€€€€! Our results can inform as to where and when to monitor to get the maximum information Our results can inform as to where and when to monitor to get the maximum information

4. Science and WFD Jargon… The Ria Formosa is a coastal lagoon in southern Portugal. The implementation of the Water Framework Directive (WFD) includes the design of monitoring plans for water bodies. Under the WFD typology, the lagoon has been classified as a sheltered coastal water in the North East Atlantic (NEA) Geographical Intercalibration Group (GIG).

5. B B : Inlet exchanging with the ocean P P: Shallow upstream channel R R: Inner channel adjacent to the UWWT outlet Location of the Ria Formosa, Portugal and study area

6. Sampling strategy The nutrient dynamics in the western part of the lagoon were studied in the ELOISE-OAERRE project. The sampling strategy was designed to take into consideration the time of day, the state of the tide, the amplitude of the tide (Spring- Neap) and the time of the year. Tidal conditions High water + Mid-ebb +Low water + Mid-flood Tidal amplitude Spring tides + Neap tides Seasons Spring equinox +Summer solstice+Autumn equinox + Winter solstice

7. Methods and the WFD The Chemical Water Quality Elements listed under ANNEX V of the WFD were chosen for the study. These include:   Oxygenation   Salinity   Nutrients Phytoplankton was the main Biological Quality Element used in the study.

8. Metrics for Phytoplankton Chlorophyll a and other pigments Primary Production ( 14 C and Oxygen methods) eta “  ” proportion of the microplankton community that is heterotrophic psi “  ” proportion of the autotrophic phytoplankton community that is not dependent on silicon (Poster by Loureiro et al : Nutrient and microplankton dynamics in the Ria Formosa lagoon )

9. LOTS of scientific results ! Data, data, data !

10. Interpretation of results: Water quality of the western lagoon is not homogenous. The area around the Ponte is of good water quality. The area near Ramalhete is of moderate water quality. ASSETS screening model (Nobre et al)

11. Discussion The tidal exchange of water with the Atlantic at the Barra inlet is sufficient to ensure good water quality throughout most of this shallow lagoon. However, this lagoon is surrounded by agricultural and urbanized land and some of the inner parts of the Ria Formosa are susceptible to eutrophication.

12. Results and the WFD On the basis of the results from OAERRE project, the Ponte and the Ramalhete sites have been indicated as appropriate for the WFD intercalibration exercise in 2005.

13. Conclusion…scientific results Ana Nobre’s presentation on Monday showed us that sampling frequency is important It is also important to understand the temporal variations in nutrient dynamics imposed by Daily tidal cycles, Spring-Neap tidal cycles, Solstice and Equinox cycles and Seasonal cycles.

14. Conclusion for WFD implementation The results can be utilized in the design of the monitoring plans as part of the Common Implementation Strategy (CIS) of the WFD. Under the WFD, there are three distinct types of monitoring: surveillance, operational and investigative. To optimize the timing and sampling frequency of surveillance monitoring.

15. References…the science Newton,A. & Mudge, S.M. 2003. Temperature and salinity regimes in a shallow, mesotidal lagoon, the Ria Formosa. Portugal. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science 57, 73-85. Newton, A., Icely, J.D, M.Falcao, A.Nobre, J.P.Nunes, J.G. Ferreira, C.Vale 2003 Evaluation of Eutrophication in the Ria Formosa coastal lagoon, Portugal. Continental Shelf Research 23, 1945– 1961 Tett, P., Gilpin,L., Svendsen, H., Erlandsson,C., Larsson,U., Kratzer,S., Fouilland, E., Janzen,C., Jae-Young Lee, Grenz, C., Newton, A., Ferreira,J.G. Fernandes, T., Scory, S. 2003Eutrophication and some European waters of restricted exchange. Continental Shelf Research 23, 1635–1671 Newton,A. & Mudge, S.M (In press) Lagoon-sea exchanges, nutrient dynamics and water quality management of the Ria Formosa (Portugal) Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science Newton, A. & Icely, J.D. (In press) Oceanographic Applications to Eutrophication in Tidal, Coastal Lagoons, the Ria Formosa, Portugal. Journal of Coastal Research. Edwards, V., Icely, J.D., Webster, R., Newton, A. (In press) A comparison of the yield of chlorophyll from nitrogen between the lagoonal waters of the Ria Formosa and the oceanic waters off Sagres on the southern coast of Portugal. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science Icely, J. D., Mendes, P., Galvão, H., Newton, A., Pereira, G. (In press) Pelagic primary and bacterial production of the Ria Formosa: a mesotidal lagoon in southern Europe. Hydrobiologia Loureiro,S., Newton, A., Icely, J.D. (In press) Effects of Nutrients Entering the Ria Formosa Coastal Lagoon (Southern Portugal): Enrichment Experiments and Primary Production. Hydrobiologia Loureiro S., Newton, A., Icely, J.D. (In press) Nutrient availability and microplankton assemblage in the Ria Formosa coastal lagoon (S. Portugal) Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science Nobre,A. Ferreira,J.G., Newton,A., Simas,T. Icely, J.D., Neves, R. (In submission.) Managing eutrophication: Integration of field data, ecosystem-scale simulations and screening models. Journal of Marine Systems

16. Thank you… Questions? OAERRE, part of the ELOISE cluster EU contract nº EVK3-CT1999-0002