Note: Intro -- Foreword -- Preface -- Acknowledgments -- Contents -- Contributors -- About the Editors -- 1 The Western and Central Africa Land--Sea Interface: A Vulnerable, Threatened, and Important Coastal Zone Within a Changing Environment -- Abstract -- Introduction -- Natural Conditions and Processes -- Regional Morphology and River Basin Drainages -- General Oceanography, Coastal Morphology, and Processes -- Coastal Processes, Physical Alterations, and Habitat Modifications -- Ecosystem Goods and Services and Species Diversity -- Anthropogenic Impacts: Demography and Socioeconomic Activities, Including Cultural Heritage -- Socioeconomic Implications of Anthropogenic Alterations -- Human Impacts on Cultural Heritage Sites -- Conclusions -- References -- 2 West African Coastal Area: Challenges and Outlook -- Abstract -- Human Land Use Rapidly Becoming More Dense in the Coastal Areas -- Development of Built-up Areas and Urban Areas -- Growing Demand for Coastline -- Economic and Infrastructure Growth -- A Fragile, Dynamic Coastline -- A Narrow Continental Shelf -- Circulation and Redistribution of Sediment -- Five Major Coastal Profiles -- Biodiversity and Ecological Services -- Major Natural Areas -- Estuaries -- Coastal Conservation and Natural Infrastructure -- Climate: Facing the Possible Futures -- West African Climate Models -- Future Projections to 2050 -- Frequencies of Extreme Events -- Significant Wave Height -- Higher Sea Level and Storm Surges -- Alarming Conclusions -- Estuarine Sentries -- References -- 3 Morphological and Hydrodynamic Changes in the Lower Estuary of the Senegal River: Effects on the Environment of the Breach of the 'Langue De Barbarie' Sand Spit in 2003 -- Abstract -- Introduction -- The Study Area -- The Senegal River Estuary -- Langue de Barbarie and the Senegal River Mouth -- The Breach of the Langue de Barbarie. , Context of Opening -- Spatial and Temporal Evolution of the Breach -- Impacts on the Estuary -- On the Hydrodynamics -- Salinization of Land and Water -- Effects on the Morphology of the Lower Estuary -- Conclusion -- References -- 4 Management of a Tropical River: Impacts on the Resilience of the Senegal River Estuary -- Abstract -- Introduction -- Human Pressures and Functioning of the Senegal River Estuary -- Difficulties in the Management of the Diama Dam Following the Opening of the New Mouth -- Consequences of Water Management for the Senegal River Estuary -- Risks Linked to Water Management in the Senegal River Estuary -- Conclusion -- References -- 5 Combined Uses of Supervised Classification and Normalized Difference Vegetation Index Techniques to Monitor Land Degradation in the Saloum Saline Estuary System -- Abstract -- Introduction -- Study Area -- Methodology -- Detecting Outliers and Cleaning Training Sample -- Supervised Image Classification -- NDVI Differencing Method -- Results and Discussions -- Land-Cover Change -- Classification -- NDVI Differencing -- Naturals Factors of Estuary's Dynamic -- Conclusion -- Acknowledgements -- References -- 6 Studies and Transactions on Pollution Assessment of the Lagos Lagoon System, Nigeria -- Abstract -- Introduction -- The Lagos Lagoon System -- Physicochemical Properties of the Lagos Lagoon -- Nutrients Status in the Sediments of Lagos Lagoon System -- Average Phosphate Concentration in the Lagos Lagoon -- Potentially Toxic Elements in Sediments of the Lagos Lagoon System -- Ecotoxicological Risk Assessment of Sediments -- Persistent Organic Pollutants Sources and their Impacts on Lagos Lagoon, Nigeria -- Bioaccumulation of Organochlorine Pesticide Residues in Fish and Invertebrates of Lagos Lagoon, Nigeria -- PAH Distribution in Sediments of the Lagos Lagoon System. , N-Alkane Distribution in Sediment Samples from Lagos Lagoon -- Pattern of PBT Signatures Across Different Media in Lagos Lagoon, Nigeria -- Conclusion -- References -- 7 Estuarine and Ocean Circulation Dynamics in the Niger Delta, Nigeria: Implications for Oil Spill and Pollution Management -- Abstract -- Introduction -- Continental Shelf -- Oceanographic Conditions -- Waves -- Tides -- Longshore Currents -- Ocean Currents -- Estuarine Circulation -- Ocean Circulation -- Across-Shelf Circulation -- Along-Shelf Circulation -- Implications of Circulation Current Patterns on Oil Spill Management in the Niger Delta -- Conclusion -- References -- 8 Morphological Characteristics of the Bonny and Cross River (Calabar) Estuaries in Nigeria: Implications for Navigation and Environmental Hazards -- Abstract -- Introduction -- Climate -- Bonny Estuary -- Setting and Morphology -- Tidal Regime -- Vegetation -- Socio-Economic Activities and Infrastructures -- Cross River (Calabar) Estuary -- Setting and Morphology -- Tidal Regime -- Vegetation -- Socio-Economic Activities and Infrastructure -- Navigational and Environmental Hazards -- Water Currents -- Sandbars and Shoals -- Shoreline and Bank Erosion -- Conclusion -- References -- 9 Status of Large Marine Flagship Faunal Diversity Within Cameroon Estuaries of Central African Coast -- Abstract -- Introduction -- Methods -- Cameroon Coastal Profile and Study Sites -- Cameroon Continental Shelf -- Coastal Landscape and Hydrology -- Geological Characteristics -- Sedimentary Basin -- Sediment Dynamics -- Climate and Oceanographic Conditions -- Data Collection Methods -- Sea Turtles -- Marine Mammals -- Waterbirds -- Data Analysis -- Results and Discussions -- Species Status and Indices of Abundance -- Sea Turtles -- Marine Mammals -- Waterbirds -- Current and Potential Threats -- Sea Turtles -- Waterbirds. , Addressing the Threats and Future Directions -- Conclusion -- Acknowledgements -- References -- 10 Morphology Analysis of Niger Delta Shoreline and Estuaries for Ecotourism Potential in Nigeria -- Abstract -- Introduction -- Niger Delta Shoreline Morphology System -- Niger Delta Beach Profile -- Niger Delta Estuaries -- Bonny River Estuary -- Cross River Estuary -- Calabar Estuary -- Qua Iboe River Estuary -- Imo River Estuary -- Escravos and Forcados Estuaries -- Why Ecotourism a Lucrative Option in Niger Delta Region -- Environmental Assessment Impact of Ecotourism -- Solution -- Expected Outcome of Ecotourism Strategy for the Niger Delta Region -- Conclusion -- 11 Importance of Mangrove Litter Production in the Protection of Atlantic Coastal Forest of Cameroon and Ghana -- Abstract -- Introduction -- Materials and Methods -- Study Sites -- Ada Songor Ramsar Site, Ghana -- Douala-Edea Reserve, Cameroon -- Study Site Selection -- Measurement of Tree and Stand Parameters for Forest Structure -- Litterfall Collection -- Data Analysis -- Laboratory Analysis of Litterfall Components -- Stand Structural Analysis -- Results and Discussion -- Environmental/Climatic Characteristics -- Mangrove Stand Structure -- Distribution of Mangrove Species -- Pure Avicennia Stand in Ghana -- Pure Rhizophora Stand -- Rhizophora and Avicennia in Balanced Mixed Stand -- Structural Characteristics of Mangrove Forest -- Pure Rhizophora Stand -- Pure Avicennia Stand -- Rhizophora and Avicennia in Balanced Mixed Stands -- Mangrove Litterfall Production -- Litter Composition -- Total Annual Litterfall -- Pattern of Total Monthly Litterfall -- Carbon Stocks in Total Litterfall in Cameroon and Ghana -- Conclusion -- References. , 12 Carbon Budget as a Tool for Assessing Mangrove Forests Degradation in the Western, Coastal Wetlands Complex (Ramsar Site 1017) of Southern Benin, West Africa -- Abstract -- Introduction -- Materials and Methods -- Site Description -- Biophysical Characteristics -- Socioeconomic Environment and Human Activities -- Establishment of Permanent Sample Plots and Quantification of Carbon Pools -- Measurement of Vegetation Carbon -- Dead and Downed Wood -- Soil Samples -- Data Analysis and Algometric Computations -- Deadwood -- Total Ecosystem Carbon Stock and CO2e Emission Factor in Degraded Mangrove Forests -- Results and Discussions -- Floristic Composition, Structure, and Biometric Characteristics of Mangrove Stands in the Mangrove Sites Inventoried -- Carbon Budget Within the Inventoried Sites -- Different Allometric Relations and Coefficient Values Obtained at the Site -- Conclusion -- Acknowledgments -- References -- 13 Mangrove Conditions as Indicator for Potential Payment for Ecosystem Services in Some Estuaries of Western Region of Ghana, West Africa -- Abstract -- Introduction -- Methods -- Site Description -- Location of the Survey Area -- Biophysical Environment -- Socio-Economic Environment and Human Activities -- Data and Information Collection and Analysis -- Survey of Mangrove Sites -- Assessing Mangrove Ecosystem Services -- Mangrove Wood Use and Impacts on Mangrove Forest -- Results and Discussions -- Status and Threats of Mangrove Ecosystem Services -- General Status of Mangroves -- Carbon Storage Potential -- Mangrove Wood Consumption and Impacts on Mangrove Forests -- Importance and Opportunities for Local Tourism Industry Development -- Prospects of Oil and Gas Industry -- Institutional Issues and Governances of Wetlands and Potentials for a Coastal and Marine PES Scheme -- Institutions and Stakeholders for Mangrove Management. , Conclusions and Recommendations.