3.1.1. Natural Drivers

Coastal ecosystems are affected by long- and short-term fluctuations in sea states and spatial changes on the coast [21], induced by the action of currents, winds and waves produced by natural phenomena such as hurricanes and storms [22]. The location of La Mancha, in the southwest of the Gulf of Mexico (Figure 1), means its dynamics are mainly the result of phenomena occurring within the gulf. The main natural drivers in La Mancha are as follows:

