Laboratório de Geomática e Sistemas Marinhos - GEOMar

RESEARCH PROJECTS

ELO: Ecosystem Service Resilience and Connectivity between Watersheds and Coastal Systems in Southern Brazil

Coordinator: Prof. Dr. Eduardo Gentil (UDESC)

The ELO Project proposes an integrated framework for analyzing connectivity between exorheic river basins and coastal systems in southern Brazil, with particular emphasis on fluvial–lagoon environments and the implications of connectivity patterns for the quality and provision of ecosystem services. Grounded in the concept of connectivity as the functional capacity for the transfer of matter, energy, and organisms across natural systems, the project recognizes that this property is governed by multiscale processes involving sediment budgets, physicochemical gradients, and hydrodynamic forcings, including extreme events such as cold fronts.

Within this framework, connectivity is assessed along its longitudinal, lateral, and vertical dimensions, recognizing the river–coast interface as a dynamic transitional zone whose integrity is essential for maintaining ecological resilience and the functioning of natural systems. The project aims to generate multiscale connectivity and ecosystem service maps, identify critical areas where connectivity loss compromises system functionality, and establish quantitative relationships between connectivity patterns and the quality of ecosystem service provision.

The project is also expected to advance the understanding of the processes governing fluvial–coastal dynamics in southern Brazil, providing scientific and technical support for territorial planning, integrated watershed management, and the sustainable management of coastal systems. Ultimately, the project seeks to strengthen the conservation and sustainable use of the benefits that ecosystems provide to society.

PROPRAIAS: Environmental quality of beaches in Brazil and the Caribbean

Coordinator: Prof. Dr. Eduardo Gentil (UDESC)

Beaches are environmentally and economically significant coastal spaces, providing important sources of income for coastal communities worldwide. They also deliver a wide range of ecosystem services, play a fundamental role in sediment dynamics, and provide habitat for a diverse array of marine species. Consequently, the planning and management of urban beaches involve considerable environmental, social, and economic complexity, requiring an integrated understanding of interactions between natural systems and socioeconomic factors, including infrastructure, patterns of use, and competing interests.

Anthropogenic pressures are expected to further increase the exposure and vulnerability of beach environments as continued urban expansion drives real estate development, informal settlements, population growth, and potentially unsustainable tourism. At the same time, coastal zones are particularly vulnerable to the effects of global climate change. Sea-level rise, together with changes in the frequency and intensity of extreme events, is expected to exacerbate coastal erosion, flooding, habitat degradation, and socioeconomic losses, placing increasing pressure on coastal cities and communities worldwide.

Against this backdrop, understanding the complex relationship between the use of natural resources and their economic exploitation is becoming increasingly important. Environmental quality assessment provides a robust framework for identifying emerging environmental pressures, diagnosing potential conflicts, and informing adaptive management strategies aimed at preventing or mitigating cumulative impacts. Despite its strategic importance, this approach remains relatively underexplored on South American beaches, where research and methodological development are still limited compared with the extensive body of case studies from European coastlines.

In response to these challenges and the lack of methodologies specifically adapted to South American coastal environments, this project establishes a Brazil-Colombia research partnership aimed at advancing knowledge and developing methodological approaches to support the sustainable use, planning, and management of beaches in South America.

INNOVATION PROJECT

Trilhas SC

Coordinator: Prof. Dr. Eduardo Gentil (UDESC)

Santa Catarina is home to a remarkable diversity of coastal ecosystems, where ecological trails play an important role in environmental education, ecotourism, and territorial management. Beyond their economic value to local communities and their potential to contribute to national ecological corridors, these trails also provide access to significant cultural and historical heritage, including archaeological sites. However, effective coastal planning and visitor safety require standardized, spatially explicit information to manage anthropogenic pressures, identify risk areas, and reduce environmental vulnerabilities.

To address this need, Secretariat for the Environment and Green Economy (SEMAE) and UDESC have launched Trilhas SC, an innovative initiative designed to integrate environmental conservation, public recreation, and sustainable socioeconomic development. By providing detailed geospatial information on coastal trails throughout the state, the project aims to strengthen Santa Catarina’s position as a national reference in integrated coastal management and ecological tourism.

The main objective of the project is to develop a dedicated mobile application and web-based platform to centralize, standardize, and democratize access to information on Santa Catarina’s main coastal trails. The initiative includes the development of a geospatial mobile application for mapping points of interest, identifying risk areas, and classifying trail difficulty levels, thereby supporting public conservation efforts and enhancing visitor safety. The project also integrates in situ field data collected by the SEMAE team into the newly developed digital platforms, ensuring that the information is spatially accurate and regularly updated. In parallel, a comprehensive web portal will provide detailed information on each mapped trail while promoting the project’s broader environmental objectives.

Collaborative Projects with Other UDESC Laboratories

• Assessment of marine debris contamination on beaches of the Central-South coast of Santa Catarina: Contributions to the environmental management of the Santa Catarina coastline. Coordinator: Prof. Dr. David Valença Dantas (UDESC).

• Spatiotemporal variation of ichthyoplankton and microplastics along the estuarine ecocline of the Laguna Estuarine System (SC): Contributions to the management of the Southern Lagoon Complex of Santa Catarina, SC. Coordinator: Prof. Dr. David Valença Dantas (UDESC).