Artificial reefs have proven to be an optimal and effective solution in stabilizing coastlines around the world. They are submerged structures that imitate the protection service provided by natural reefs accomplishing the functions of dissipating wave energy and protecting beach morphology, but also being an ecological solution. In this paper, 2D small-scale experiments were performed to analyze the hydrodynamic, morphological, and ecological behavior of an artificial reef constructed of modular elements. Two typical beach-dune profiles were constructed in a wave flume over which two locations of an artificial reef were tested. From these tests, transmission coefficients were obtained as well as the beach profile response to the presence of the artificial reef. These results are used to discuss about the hydrodynamic, morphological, and ecological performance of the artificial reef. The proposed artificial reef showed good morphological performance while its hydrodynamic function had limited success. In turn, the ecologic performance was theoretically addressed.

Most wave energy converters (WECs) are designed to operate in high-latitude energetic seas, limiting their performance in regions usually dominated by milder conditions. The present study assesses the performance of complete test-stage WECs in farms that satisfy a decentralized energy scheme (DES) on the coast of Baja California, which is considered one of the most energetic regions along the Mexican Pacific. A high-resolution 11-year nearshore wave hindcast was performed and validated with Acoustic Doppler Current Profilers (ADCPs) data to characterize the wave energy resource in the study area. Two hotspots were identified from the wave power climatology. In these sites, the extractive capacities of seven well-known WEC technologies were determined based on their power matrices. Finally, the power extracted by small WEC farms, with the minimum number of devices required to satisfy a DES, was estimated. The studied region has moderate wave power availability with marked seasonality and low inter-annual variability. Out of all the evaluated devices, WaveDragon extracts the highest wave power; however, Pelamis has the best performance, with maximum monthly mean capacity factors up to 40%. Coupling WEC farms with storage modules or hybrid renewable systems are recommended to satisfy a continuous DES during the less energetic summer months.

Durante un proceso de restauración de Pocillopora spp., usando corales de oportunidad (CO), fueron evaluados diversos atributos bióticos en dos sitios a lo largo de un año, de manera bimensual fueron determinadas las concentraciones de aminoácidos tipo micosporina (AAMs) y niveles de clorofila a (Cl a). De manera específica, en el último muestreo se realizó un análisis de malonaldehido (MDA) y se calcularon las relaciones ARN/ADN y proteína/ADN como indicadores de estrés oxidativo y actividad trascripcional en simbionte y cnidario de todos los morfotipos. En sitio Carrizales (SC) la técnica de restauración de ramilletes coralinos (RC) promovió la integración de COs registrando signos de recuperación y altas tasas de supervivencia (90%); no obstante, en el Sitio Juluapan (SJ), se observó una falta de respuesta a los indicadores bióticos y moleculares asociados a la recuperación. Por lo tanto, los CO provenientes de Carrizales no fueron capaces de aclimatarse a un sitio en el que imperan distintas condiciones ambientales. Altas concentraciones de Cl a, AAMs, y una alta relación ARN/ADN fueron características de una condición saludable de corales, que a su vez, estuvieron asociados a los indicadores de restauración y mejor supervivencia observada.

The unplanned development of a port city generates urban growth in its coastal zone that stresses the local biotic and abiotic resources, affecting the nesting beach areas of sea turtles. This work evaluated the impact of social collaboration on sea turtle conservation in response to coastal rigidization. Over the past twenty years, the Manzanillo Port (Colima), located in the Mexican Central Pacific, underwent vigorous development and urbanization. This growth has produced stressors including increasing levels of marine noise pollution due to the transit of merchant ships, the decrease in 4.3 ha in beach areas, and increased light pollution, which likely reduced the number of turtles that reached the nesting stage. Despite the above, the number of turtle nests has increased thanks to social collaboration through protection actions, education programs, and the participation of volunteers along with public and private organizations supported by the media and social networks. These actions are part of citizen science and contribute to the balance between urban development and the protection of sea turtles, reducing environmental vulnerability in the coastal zone. This success story can be reproduced in coastal cities for other wildlife species to achieve a social-ecological benefit through advocacy projects that involve the empowerment of local inhabitants and the appropriation of their landscapes and natural elements. These projects will contribute to alleviating the effects of coastal rigidization in the face of future challenges that will require solutions to different environmental aspects of imminent climate change.

Verduzco-Zapata, M.G.; Olivos-Ortiz, A.; Liñán-Cabello, M.; Ortega-Ortiz, C.; Galicia-Pérez, M.; Matthews, C., and Cervantes-Rosas, O., 2018. Development of a Desalination System Driven by Low Energy Ocean Surface In: Shim, J.-S.; Chun, I., and Lim, H.S. (eds.), Proceedings from the International Coastal Symposium (ICS) 2018 (Busan, Republic of Korea). Journal of Coastal Research, Special Issue No. 85, pp. 1321–1325. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208. As an effort to mitigate the water scarcity and to achieve a water security status in remote coastal communities with few or no hydraulic systems, or in places with compromised services due to natural disasters, a new semi-portable wave driven desalination device is being developed and tested using a state of the art numerical model. In this early stage of development, the main challenge is to further optimize mechanisms that allow to adjust to tidal and wave variations and to efficiently resist the stresses exerted by cycle motions. The solut...