RESUMEN
Sea-level rise (SLR) is expected to cause major changes to coastal wetlands, which are among the world's most vulnerable ecosystems and are critical for nonbreeding waterbirds. Because strategies for adaptation to SLR, such as nature-based solutions and designation of protected areas, can locally reduce the negative effects of coastal flooding under SLR on coastal wetlands, it is crucial to prioritize adaptation efforts, especially for wetlands of international importance for biodiversity. We assessed the exposure of coastal wetlands important for nonbreeding waterbirds to projected SLR along the Mediterranean coasts of 8 countries by modeling future coastal flooding under 7 scenarios of SLR by 2100 (from 44- to 161-cm rise) with a static inundation approach. Exposure to coastal flooding under future SLR was assessed for 938 Mediterranean coastal sites (≤30 km from the coastline) where 145 species of nonbreeding birds were monitored as part of the International Waterbird Census and for which the monitoring area was delineated by a polygon (64.3% of the coastal sites monitored in the Mediterranean region). Thirty-four percent of sites were threatened by future SLR, even under the most optimistic scenarios. Protected study sites and study sites of international importance for waterbirds were, respectively, 1.5 and 2 times more exposed to SLR than the other sites under the most optimistic scenario. Accordingly, we advocate for the development of a prioritization scheme to be applied to these wetlands for the implementation of strategies for adaptation to SLR to anticipate the effects of coastal flooding. Our study provides major guidance for conservation planning under global change in several countries of the Mediterranean region.
Exposición de los humedales de importancia para las aves acuáticas no reproductoras al incremento del nivel del mar en el Mediterráneo Resumen Se espera que el incremento en el nivel del mar (INM) cause cambios importantes en los humedales costeros, los cuales se encuentran entre los ecosistemas más vulnerables y son críticos para las aves acuáticas no reproductoras. Es crucial la priorización de los esfuerzos de adaptación, especialmente en los humedales con importancia internacional para la biodiversidad, ya que las estrategias de adaptación ante el INM, como las soluciones basadas en la naturaleza y la designación de áreas protegidas, pueden reducir localmente los efectos negativos de las inundaciones costeras por INM en los humedales costeros. Evaluamos la exposición de los humedales costeros con importancia para las aves acuáticas no reproductoras ante el INM proyectado en las costas del Mediterráneo en ocho países con un modelo de inundaciones costeras en el futuro bajo siete escenarios de INM para el año 2100 (de 44 a 161 cm) con un enfoque de inundación estática. Evaluamos la exposición a las inundaciones costeras bajo el INM futuro en 938 sitios costeros del Mediterráneo (≤ 30 km a partir de la costa), en donde monitoreamos a 145 especies de aves no reproductoras como parte del Censo Internacional de Aves Acuáticas y para los cuales el área de monitoreo estuvo delineada con un polígono (64.3% de los sitios costeros monitoreados en la región Mediterránea). El 34% de los sitios se vio amenazado por el INM en el futuro, incluso con los escenarios más optimistas. Los sitios de estudio protegidos y los sitios de estudio de importancia internacional para las aves acuáticas estuvieron expuestos 1.5 y 2 veces más al INM que otros sitios con el escenario más optimista. De acuerdo con esto, abogamos por el desarrollo de un esquema de priorización para aplicarse en estos humedales para la implementación de estrategias de adaptación al INM para anticipar los efectos de las inundaciones costeras. Nuestro estudio proporciona información importante para la planeación de la conservación bajo el cambio global en varios de los países del Mediterráneo.
RESUMEN
Background: Libyan wetlands are diverse; the coastline of Libya, in particular, has different kinds of wetlands, such as salt marshes, bays, lakes, lagoons, and islands. These varieties in habitats provide good shelters and foraging sites for migratory birds during their journeys between Eurasia and Africa. Since the beginning of the Libyan winter census of waterbirds International waterbirds census (Libya IWC) in 2005, which continued regularly until 2012, it has had relatively the same performance in the number of covered sites. However, since 2013, due to the security situation that Libya has experienced due to wars and conflict, which negatively affected the quality of the IWC in Libya, the number of sites has dramatically decreased, reaching only six locations during the middle of the previous decade. Aim: The IWC 2022 aimed to count the birds along the Libyan coast from January 10 to 29. Methods: The census activities were conducted from dawn to dusk during the study period by using high-quality Telescopes, binoculars, and digital cameras for the documentation. Point transects method was used to cover the sites. Results: The results of this year showed that a total of 64 sites were covered, and 68 species of waterbirds were counted, with an abundance of 61,850 individuals. During the census period, a total of 52 non-waterbird species found in Wetlands were recorded, and the number of individuals was 14,836 birds. A total of 18 threatened species were observed during this survey, 12 of them are mentioned in the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List, and nine species are mentioned in the regional activities center of specially protected areas annex II as threatened in the Mediterranean, where the species; Larus audouinii (Payraudeau, 1826), Larus genei (Breme, 1839), and Puffinus yelkouan (Acerbi, 1827) are mentioned in both of them. Conclusion: The lack of the number of ornithologists and bird watchers is still one of the factors affecting the quality of the IWC in Libya, as well as lack of funding remains an important factor that plays a major role in the success of the waterbirds census.
