Coastal regions are historically the most inhabited and impacted by human activities. Global processes like climate change ( i.e. warming, sea level rise, increased storm frequency, acidification, establishment of invasive species, etc.) now act together with local and regional anthropogenic pressures ( habitat deterioration, eutrophication, pollution, etc.) affecting marine coastal ecosystems. Here we single out five of Spain’s most iconic coastal ecosystems, to showcase the most important stressors and drivers and act as representative ecosystems for other coastal regions. We identify the science needed to resolve the main impacts, with a final objective to provide tools to achieve their preservation and restoration

22 pages,1 table

Peer reviewed