Relatório Trienal 1999-2001.pdf - CIMA - Universidade do Algarve

morpho- and hydrodynamics, allowing the development of predictive tools to determine duneoverwash.Predictions based on conceptual as well as numerical models as a function of incident waves, sealevel, and beach morphodynamics will be used to improve coastal management strategies.The goals are the determination of the probability of overwash occurrence and washover fan size, andassociated sediment transport and volumes as a result of the acting swash and dune morphology.The second line of research will focus on further investigation into the past and present history andbehaviour of the Guadiana Estuary and the Gulf of Cádiz, as well as other rivers and shelf areas onthe Iberian Peninsula in particular as related to anthropic influences (e.g. damming, mining,urbanisation).This will be assured by continuation of the project CRIDA, aiming at the evaluation of theconsequences caused by the changes that occurred during the last decades in the Douro, Tejo andGuadiana river basins. A broad and interdisciplinary approach, including meteorological, climatic,oceanographic, geochemical, mineralogical, sedimentological and historical aspects, will be used tounderstand the evolution of those basins.Because of the interregional and -national character of many river basins, a particular focus of thisproject will lie on the legislation related to the protection of hydrographic basins and the definition ofbasic values such as the ’solid load’ and ’minimum discharge values’ of rivers.The subject of this project is poorly understood on a worldwide level, mainly because the importanceof this problem has only recently been realised. Because of the significant and increasingconsequences of run-off and sediment load changes, it is of the utmost significance to determine whatthe natural balance of rivers in pre-industrial times was, what the consequences of alterations are,and make suggestions concerning legislation involving river basins, including their estuaries andadjacent shelves and coastlines.A continuation of collaboration with international partners, such as Dr. Jon Williams (ProudmanOceanographic Laboratory, UK), Dr. Irene Alejo, (University of Vigo, Spain), Dr. Paolo Ciavola(University of Ferrara, Italy), Prof. Orrin Pilkey (Duke University, USA), Prof. Joe Kelley (University ofMaine, USA) is essential for the achievements of the goals, as is the collaboration with a series ofinstitutions on national and international level such as the IPS (Southern Portuary Institute), theNatural Park of the Ria Formosa, the Hydrographic Institute of Portugal.In terms of academic development and further education, two researchers are expected to submittheir PhD theses within the near future (A. Vila Concejo, A. Matias).The strengths in the group lie in its large experience, both with the subjects being approached, aswith working with each other. In the past years the group has accumulated significant know-how inplanning and carrying out large and complex field operations and experiments, interpreting data, andpresenting and publishing the results in international conferences and peer-reviewed papers.Although there is still some lacking in equipment, the situation has in the past years been significantlybeen improved through several acquisitions. The experience the team has had with the use of thisequipment is another strong point.The main weakness of the group at this point in time is the lack of permanently employed staff,leading to a certain ‘volatility’ of personnel. At present, only two members of the group havepermanent employment with the University (J.M.A. Dias, and Ó. Ferreira). There is a constant risk forthe group to lose important members (and associated know-how), as personnel is drawn away tomore stable positions.Furthermore, the physical distance of the group’s research centre CIACOMAR has at times proved tobe prejudicial in the smoothness of carrying out tasks.THEMATIC GROUP 2In recent years the investigation of of CIMA’s TG II Ecotoxicology and Environmental Chemistry sub-Group, identified some areas with high contamination levels (namely PAH´s, heavy metals, TBT´s).In order to obtain a more complete understanding of how toxic chemicals move through theenvironment, what reactions they undergo, and how toxic chemicals interact to affect organismsparticularly in environments rich in metals, such as the hydrothermal vents, the investigation will be26