Impact of Climate Change on the Estuarine System

Dear Colleagues,

Nowadays, there is a special concern about the possible impact of climate change on estuarine systems and its consequences in contingent ecosystems. Estuarine ecosystems are susceptible to shifts in temperature, rising sea levels, and altered precipitation patterns. Rising global temperatures contribute to the thermal expansion of seawater, leading to an increase in sea levels that can result in coastal erosion and submersion of estuarine habitats. Additionally, changes in precipitation patterns may affect the amount and timing of freshwater input into estuaries, disrupting the delicate balance between salt and freshwater crucial for the diverse species inhabiting these areas. This can lead to the loss of critical nursery habitats for commercially important fish species. As climate change accelerates, these cumulative impacts threaten the biodiversity, ecological functions, and socio-economic services provided by estuarine systems, emphasizing the urgent need for effective mitigation and adaptation strategies.

This Special Issue aims to publish recent findings, notable achievements, and general insights about the assessment of the impacts of climate change on estuarine systems. Encompassing aspects such as tidal propagation, extreme events, estuarine plumes, sea level rise, alterations in precipitation, ocean acidification, salinity intrusion, water quality patterns, and aquaculture, the Issue welcomes contributions in the form of research articles, reviews, and case studies, among other relevant formats. The scope extends beyond the mentioned topics, encouraging a comprehensive exploration of the impacts of climate change on estuarine environments.

Dr. Magda Catarina Sousa
Dr. Ines Alvarez
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Journal of Marine Science and Engineering is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• climate change
• estuarine environments
• extreme events
• estuarine plumes
• hydrodynamic and water quality patterns