Exploring the Role of the Coastal Marine Environment within the WEFE Nexus

The water-energy-food-ecosystem (WEFE) nexus is critical for sustainable resource management, yet its application in marine and coastal environments remains underexplored, despite its increasing relevance in marine ecosystem services (MES). This study addresses this gap by presenting an in-depth analysis of the marine WEFE nexus, with a particular emphasis on the Mediterranean region. A conceptual framework is developed to integrate MES as dynamic contributors to the interconnected elements of the WEFE nexus. Using a synthesis of existing literature, key feedback mechanisms are identified, enabling the mapping of distinct interlinkages that originate from ecosystem services and extend across nexus dimensions. This mapping provides insights into the systemic dependencies of marine resources and their influence on water, energy, food, and ecosystem interdependencies. Graph theory is employed to represent these links, offering a network-based perspective that identifies critical pathways within the nexus. By highlighting pivotal dependencies, this approach deepens our understanding of the marine WEFE nexus, emphasizing its complexity and interconnectivity.