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nonliving organic matter or fossil energy), and makes the lagoon function as a
productive, self-regulating, and self-maintaining system. This involves a perma-
nent inner transfer of mass, energy, and information that consists of three overall
processes:
1. Energy flow
2. Biogeochemical cycling of chemical elements which ends in production
of natural resources and services as well as an entropy dissipation, and
3. Information flows which develop multiple self-regulating mechanisms
The identification process also requires defining the structural and functional
parameters and corresponding vectors by which the state of the lagoon at a given
time t i as well as the set of external driving forces and boundary conditions could be
described ( see Chapter 3 and Chapter 4 for details). In other words, we may consider
that the homomorph model of a lagoon system is a simplified copy of the real system,
developed by ignoring some elementary components and aggregating others. A very
important fact is that the model should preserve the characteristics of spatio-temporal
organization of the lagoon and its connectivity to the upper hierarchical system, that
is, the land/sea/waterscape.
The homomorph model provides the only operational and effective way to cope
with the complexity of lagoons when designing and implementing appropriate
research and monitoring programs. Further, a homomorph model is the most pow-
erful tool for designing and implementing sustainable management plans.
Productivity and self-regulation of a particular lagoon system define its carrying
capacity or potential role in the EF for an SES. Lagoons are also dynamic, nonlinear
systems driven by both natural and anthropogenic external forces as well as internal
ones. Usually, at large time scales they exhibit structural and functional changes
that, in turn, lead to changes in their production and carrying capacity. Particular
reference is made to Chapter 5 for information concerning structural and functional
changes in lagoon systems in relation to eutrophication, renewal rates, and practices
for extensive and intensive fisheries management.
2.4
SCIENTIFIC ACHIEVEMENTS RELEVANT FOR SUSTAINABLE
MANAGEMENT OF LAGOONS AND LAND/SEASCAPES
The last decades of the 20th century were very productive in terms of significant
achievements in energetics, biogeochemistry, and ecotoxicology within a wide
range of ecological systems. Critical analysis and integration of the results that
have been carried out by many ecologists 6,32,55-64 prove that natural and seminat-
ural ecological systems are resources and service providers to the SES, usually
at their own expense. Among the components of the NC, lagoon ecosystems have
proved to be the most productive. This is the reason for trying to discriminate
and bring to the forefront some fundamental achievements, which may help in
formulating and implementing strategies and action plans for integrated and
 
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