Acronym QUEST4D
Category
Fisheries
Title QUantification of Erosion/Sedimentation patterns to Trace the natural versus anthropogenic sediment dynamics Programme National Programme
Instrument (FP6)
Contact Type (FP7)
Strand (Interreg)
NA
Theme (FP7)
Activity Area (FP6)
Regional Area (Interreg)
Action (COST)
NA
Specific Programme (FP7)
NA
Funding source National Coordinator Vera Van Lancker Coordinator email vera.vanlancker@mumm.ac.be
Coordinator institution
UGent-RCMG - Ghent University; Renard Centre of Marine Geology (Belgium)
Institutions involved
BELSPO - Belgian Science Policy Office (Belgium) ,
FHR - Flanders Hydraulic Research (Belgium) ,
UGent - Ghent University (Belgium) ,
MUMM - Management Unit of the North Sea Mathematical Models (Belgium) ,
NA - Not available (Belgium) ,
Start year 2006 End year 2011 Funding (€) € 1,054,906 Website http://www.vliz.be/projects/quest4D/ Summary QUEST4D focuses on the sustainable exploitation of the EEZ for which the set-up of a strategic sediment management framework becomes real. For aggregate extraction, there is a European-wide tendency that non-renewable sediments are increasingly extracted and hence resources need a better management. Recent studies also gave evidence of the large-scale influence of dumping on the coastal ecosystem. Moreover, the high turbidity, together with the high siltation rates in harbours and navigation channels require an allocation of dumping grounds, sustainable on the long-term. Sustainability and fisheries is, in the context of QUEST4D, related to the long-term maintenance of the sandbanks; a key structuring ecosystem driver. Finally, a more holistic view on beach nourishment is needed if sea level rises faster and hence resources are increasingly needed. QUEST4D focuses on the quantification of erosion and sedimentation processes along the Belgian Continental Shelf. As such, the sediment state and dynamics will be studied in the space, depth and time domain (4D). The research is timely as indications of a longer-term and broader-scale physical degradation of the seafloor exist and it is unclear whether this is solely due to the increasing anthropogenic influence or to a combination with the natural evolution of the seafloor itself, including the effect of climate change. The latter processes need to be disentangled, as their impact needs to be balanced against the industry-related activities. This kind of research asks for a detailed and targeted approach; this becomes realistic as the project group can rely on recent research results and the availability of the appropriate datasets, both on the small- and large-scale. QUEST4D aims at presenting a holistic view on sediment changes mainly related to sand and mud and will try to define from this, the status of the marine environment and its future perspectives, albeit from a mere physical viewpoint.
Keywords
Climate change;
Impacts;
Anthropic activity;
Marine Region
5
Southern North Sea (27.IVc)
4
Eastern English Channel (27.VIId)
2
Marine Region Map
