We combine radon and stable isotopes in water to determine total submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) in the Ria Formosa and discriminate its component modes. We show that tidal action filters the entire water volume in the lagoon through local beaches 3.5 times a year, driving an estimated 350Ton nitrogen/year into the system. Conversely, fresh groundwater is discharged into the lagoon only occasionally, adding ~ 61 Ton nitrogen/year, but is capable of driving new production in the system.

We assessed if nitrogen stable isotopes in mussels are a suitable indicator, capable of resolving spatial and temporal variability of nutrient pollution in an urban estuary. Our results highlight the value of using stable isotope analysis as an integrative tool to establish an understanding of local processes and pollution levels in theses urban aquatic systems. We suggest that mussels can become a robust tool for the detection of emerging anthropogenic pollutants of concern in urban water systems.

This study aims to analyse for the first time suspended sediment dynamics in the fluvial Gironde through a unique set of a 10-year continuous turbidity record. We demonstrate the following: the interest of turbidity-discharge hysteresis loops to evaluate the presence of sediment depositions; the relationships between features of the turbidity maximum zone (TMZ) and river flow; and the definition of hydrological indicators of the persistence and concentration of the TMZ.

Natural floodings caused by storm floods also have important human components determining how disastrous they could be. Man-made floodings during warfare were only successful if natural conditions and factors were fully used. Strategic floodings during the 16th-17th centuries dramatically changed landscapes, from which valueble lessons were learnt to perfect this strategy in the 18th and 19th centuries.