Surficial sediment texture database for the south-western Iberian Atlantic margin
Assessing the impact of changes on the environment driven by natural or anthropogenic forcers includes the comparison between antecedent and post-event conditions. The latter is particularly relevant in order to better understand to which extent those changes actually impact or alter a particular en...
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Published in | Earth system science data Vol. 10; no. 2; pp. 1185 - 1195 |
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Main Authors | , , , , |
Format | Journal Article |
Language | English |
Published |
Katlenburg-Lindau
Copernicus GmbH
22.06.2018
Copernicus Publications |
Subjects | |
Online Access | Get full text |
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Summary: | Assessing the impact of changes on the environment driven by natural or
anthropogenic forcers includes the comparison between antecedent and
post-event conditions. The latter is particularly relevant in order to better
understand to which extent those changes actually impact or alter a
particular environment and associated services and to determine the
resilience of a system. In this regard, it becomes essential to create or
provide databases to inform about baseline conditions. Here, we present a
database that integrates surficial sediment samples collected and analysed
for textural characterization within the framework of a series of research
projects over circa 20 years. Collected samples along the south-western
Atlantic margin of the Iberian Peninsula extend from estuaries and beaches to
the adjacent continental shelf. For the case of the more dynamic
environments, namely coastal sandy barriers, samples were repeated over time
in order to capture the intrinsic variability of the system. Examples of the
utility of this data set for a variety of purposes and environments are also
included within this paper through three examples. Therefore, here we show
the added value of the database as it can be used to assess the impact of a
particular event or activity at an estuary by providing baseline conditions,
evaluate the continental shelf sediment suitability for nourishment
activities, or contribute to the understanding of the morphodynamics and
classification of beaches. Finally, it is worth stating the importance of
such databases to analyse medium- to long-term variability as the one induced
by sea level rise, changes in storminess, or human activities. The
open-access data presented here are at https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.883104. |
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ISSN: | 1866-3516 1866-3508 1866-3516 |
DOI: | 10.5194/essd-10-1185-2018 |