Ecological and Cultural Ecosystem Services in Coastal Areas

Coastal areas provide various benefits through regulating, provisioning, and cultural ecosystem services, including carbon sequestration, protection from coastal erosion, recreation, and ecotourism. They also support a unique biodiversity, which includes endangered species requiring conservation measures. Achieving the balanced and sustainable management of coastal areas necessitates interdisciplinary approaches that integrate ecological, economic, and governance-related aspects. Additionally, incorporating cultural ecosystem service education is essential for favoring positive perceptions and values associated with coastal areas. Science can play a crucial role in sustainable coastal management by bridging the gap between conceptual models and tangible applications. The development of socioecological indicators for sustainable coastal tourism, the contribution of citizen science in coastal biodiversity monitoring, and the ecosystem services assessment for integrated coastal spatial planning are valuable examples of how applied research can offer concrete solutions.