Ecosystem carrying and occupancy capacity on a beach in southwestern Spain

The number of tourists visiting coastal areas of the world is increasing every year, often resulting in negative impacts on the coastal environment. This paper proposes the analysis of ecosystem carrying and occupancy capacity (ECOC) as a useful tool for beach management. On the one hand, it considers the number of users that coincide simultaneously on a beach, including their temporal and spatial distribution and, on the other hand, it assesses the vulnerability of the ecosystem services (ES) present in the area. The combination of these two variables provides managers with integrated knowledge of the environmental and social elements that interact within their management area. The objective of this study was to carry out an analysis of ECOC on the beach of La Barrosa, located in southwestern Spain, during the summer season (July and August) of the years 2017 and 2020. To this end, a methodology was employed that can be applied in a generalized manner regardless of the physical-natural, socio-economic and cultural characteristics of the area. The analysis consisted of four phases: (1) characterization and zoning of the study area; (2) identification, evaluation, and vulnerability of ecosystem services; (3) analysis of the distribution and occupation of users; (4) calculation of the ecosystem carrying and occupancy capacity. Different ECOC values were recorded during the study months and during the same day, due to the nature of the beach and the behavior of the users. ECOC levels were observed ranging from "extreme overload" to "adequate load". The results indicate that La Barrosa beach supports high pressure during the summer season derived from a large influx of users and the installation of the required services, which translate into impacts on the ES. We concluded that the existence and conservation of ES at La Barrosa beach play an essential role in the development of the tourism sector in which the municipality is economically sustained. For this reason, it is essential to carry out coastal management based on the study of the trend and state of the ES, determining their vulnerability and monitoring them over time, in order to promote sustainable tourism.