2011). Conservation and management efforts must prioritize
where to spend resources on mitigating impacts of human
activities on the environment (Teck et al. 2010). Indeed, better
management requires an important basic knowledge of the
structure, functioning, and uses of the coastal zone, in order
to establish a balance between ecological conservation and
economic development, but also to identify solutions to the
problems encountered (Tortell 1992; Dutrieux et al. 2000;
Puente-Rodríguez et al. 2015; Yuan et al. 2016).
Consequently, any policy that aims to restore and maintain
coastal environmental quality cannot be considered
without taking these activities into account (Mauvais
and Goarnisson 1999).
In this context, it is necessary to develop a new approach to
assess the environmental vulnerability of coastal ecosystems
at the local level, including considerations beyond the simple
risk of hazards or damage caused by a disaster (Yoo et al.
2014). One of these considerations is to develop an approach
that contributes to the sustainable development of coastal cities by integrating the results of this approach into planning
and decision-making for integrated coastal zone management
(Doukakis 2005; Sahoo et al. 2016).
Environmental vulnerability has taken on crucial importance for researchers interested in global change and sustainability (Adger 2006). In order to better understand and manage a complex system, such as our environment, it is necessary to simplify things by constructing a simple picture with a
limited set of relevant factors: indicators (Turnhout et al.
2007). Vulnerability helps to make decisions on complex
problems by structuring them in a simple and understandable
hierarchical structure (Li et al. 2009).
The term “environmental vulnerability” is related to the
risk of damage to the natural environment or a particular ecosystem type; vulnerability is the degree to which a system is
susceptible to adverse effects caused by a specific hazard or
stressor (Zou and Yoshino 2017). The vulnerability of a coastal zone means the potential risk to its ecosystems component
of being affected by various types of damage if they are exposed to certain pressures (Henri et al. 2002). Therefore, a
vulnerable area can be defined as an area that is both sensitive
and exposed to anthropogenic pressures. Their degree of vulnerability depends on the respective degrees of sensitivity and
pressure (Dutrieux et al. 2000). In our framework, sensitivity
refers to the intrinsic characteristics of the environment and
varies according to its specificity (Yoo et al. 2014). It is defined by the capacity of the environment to undertake alterations and its ability to resist stress (Dutrieux et al. 2000). We
have defined anthropogenic pressure as a man-made force
exerted on a given surface of the environment that can cause
damage and disruption to coastal ecosystems (Daeden 2015).
However, the mechanism of vulnerability evaluation varies
from region to region because of regional environmental differences. Therefore, developing a location-based set of
indicators that are suitable for the actual situation of each case
study is necessary (Zou and Yoshino 2017). From this, we
created a matrix of anthropogenic pressure factors and environmental sensitivity of coastal ecosystems to describe the
vulnerability profile of a given system over a given period
(Wamsley et al. 2015) while taking into account the particularity of the Algerian coastline.
The approach followed and the majority of the indices used
were inspired by the work of Dutrieux et al. (2000); Fattal
et al. (2007); Li et al. (2009); Fattal et al. (2010); Yoo et al.
(2014); Caniani et al. (2016); Zou and Yoshino (2017); and
He et al. (2018). First, these indices were adjusted to take into
account the particularities of the Algerian coastline. Secondly,
an adjustment of the methodology for the exploitation and
mapping of the results was made.
This current research provides a conceptual framework to
improve our understanding of the environmental vulnerability
of coastal ecosystems to pollution, at the scale of Algiers
coast, through an approach that aims to identify the environmental vulnerability of coastal ecosystems to existing danger
“anthropogenic pressures”, and to a potential danger, whereas
most previous studies have focused on this latter.
The results of these models can be used as forecasting
tools, allowing us to find the most vulnerable area to be
protected first (Caniani et al. 2016). This can be useful to
decision-makers by providing a relatively rational decisionsupport tool for planning and implementing sustainable coastal management (Zou and Yoshino 2017).
Methods
Study area
Algiers is the political and economic capital of the
country. It therefore faces many environmental problems
along its coast caused by unplanned and uncontrolled
metropolization (Ministry of the environment 2004).
The coastal zone that extends from Bab El Oued to
Ain Bénian (Fig. 1) is one of the least studied parts
of the Algerian coast because of the difficult access
(rocky areas: cliffs and coves).
This area includes five municipalities “Bab El Oued -
Bologhine - El Hammamet - Rais Hamidou - Ain Bénian”.
The latter offers an area of 31.17 km
2 (17.6% of the surface
area of Algiers), inhabited by 230,416 citizens (7.8% of
Algiers population) and with a density of 7381 Hab/km
2
.
The coastal domain of its municipalities covers an area of
31.217 km
2 (20.24% of the coastal domain of Algiers)
(Ministry of the environment 2004, 2007; National
Statistics Office 2011; Ministry of Habitat-Urban Planning
and Cities 2016).
42671
Environ Sci Pollut Res (2020) 27:42670–42684
Author's personal copy
where to spend resources on mitigating impacts of human
activities on the environment (Teck et al. 2010). Indeed, better
management requires an important basic knowledge of the
structure, functioning, and uses of the coastal zone, in order
to establish a balance between ecological conservation and
economic development, but also to identify solutions to the
problems encountered (Tortell 1992; Dutrieux et al. 2000;
Puente-Rodríguez et al. 2015; Yuan et al. 2016).
Consequently, any policy that aims to restore and maintain
coastal environmental quality cannot be considered
without taking these activities into account (Mauvais
and Goarnisson 1999).
In this context, it is necessary to develop a new approach to
assess the environmental vulnerability of coastal ecosystems
at the local level, including considerations beyond the simple
risk of hazards or damage caused by a disaster (Yoo et al.
2014). One of these considerations is to develop an approach
that contributes to the sustainable development of coastal cities by integrating the results of this approach into planning
and decision-making for integrated coastal zone management
(Doukakis 2005; Sahoo et al. 2016).
Environmental vulnerability has taken on crucial importance for researchers interested in global change and sustainability (Adger 2006). In order to better understand and manage a complex system, such as our environment, it is necessary to simplify things by constructing a simple picture with a
limited set of relevant factors: indicators (Turnhout et al.
2007). Vulnerability helps to make decisions on complex
problems by structuring them in a simple and understandable
hierarchical structure (Li et al. 2009).
The term “environmental vulnerability” is related to the
risk of damage to the natural environment or a particular ecosystem type; vulnerability is the degree to which a system is
susceptible to adverse effects caused by a specific hazard or
stressor (Zou and Yoshino 2017). The vulnerability of a coastal zone means the potential risk to its ecosystems component
of being affected by various types of damage if they are exposed to certain pressures (Henri et al. 2002). Therefore, a
vulnerable area can be defined as an area that is both sensitive
and exposed to anthropogenic pressures. Their degree of vulnerability depends on the respective degrees of sensitivity and
pressure (Dutrieux et al. 2000). In our framework, sensitivity
refers to the intrinsic characteristics of the environment and
varies according to its specificity (Yoo et al. 2014). It is defined by the capacity of the environment to undertake alterations and its ability to resist stress (Dutrieux et al. 2000). We
have defined anthropogenic pressure as a man-made force
exerted on a given surface of the environment that can cause
damage and disruption to coastal ecosystems (Daeden 2015).
However, the mechanism of vulnerability evaluation varies
from region to region because of regional environmental differences. Therefore, developing a location-based set of
indicators that are suitable for the actual situation of each case
study is necessary (Zou and Yoshino 2017). From this, we
created a matrix of anthropogenic pressure factors and environmental sensitivity of coastal ecosystems to describe the
vulnerability profile of a given system over a given period
(Wamsley et al. 2015) while taking into account the particularity of the Algerian coastline.
The approach followed and the majority of the indices used
were inspired by the work of Dutrieux et al. (2000); Fattal
et al. (2007); Li et al. (2009); Fattal et al. (2010); Yoo et al.
(2014); Caniani et al. (2016); Zou and Yoshino (2017); and
He et al. (2018). First, these indices were adjusted to take into
account the particularities of the Algerian coastline. Secondly,
an adjustment of the methodology for the exploitation and
mapping of the results was made.
This current research provides a conceptual framework to
improve our understanding of the environmental vulnerability
of coastal ecosystems to pollution, at the scale of Algiers
coast, through an approach that aims to identify the environmental vulnerability of coastal ecosystems to existing danger
“anthropogenic pressures”, and to a potential danger, whereas
most previous studies have focused on this latter.
The results of these models can be used as forecasting
tools, allowing us to find the most vulnerable area to be
protected first (Caniani et al. 2016). This can be useful to
decision-makers by providing a relatively rational decisionsupport tool for planning and implementing sustainable coastal management (Zou and Yoshino 2017).
Methods
Study area
Algiers is the political and economic capital of the
country. It therefore faces many environmental problems
along its coast caused by unplanned and uncontrolled
metropolization (Ministry of the environment 2004).
The coastal zone that extends from Bab El Oued to
Ain Bénian (Fig. 1) is one of the least studied parts
of the Algerian coast because of the difficult access
(rocky areas: cliffs and coves).
This area includes five municipalities “Bab El Oued -
Bologhine - El Hammamet - Rais Hamidou - Ain Bénian”.
The latter offers an area of 31.17 km
2 (17.6% of the surface
area of Algiers), inhabited by 230,416 citizens (7.8% of
Algiers population) and with a density of 7381 Hab/km
2
.
The coastal domain of its municipalities covers an area of
31.217 km
2 (20.24% of the coastal domain of Algiers)
(Ministry of the environment 2004, 2007; National
Statistics Office 2011; Ministry of Habitat-Urban Planning
and Cities 2016).
42671
Environ Sci Pollut Res (2020) 27:42670–42684
Author's personal copy