On integrating intelligent infrastructure and participatory monitoring for environmental modelling: The SMARTLAGOON approach

Abstract

In the critical context of Mar Menor, the largest saltwater coastal lagoon in Europe, which is experiencing an ecological crisis, the paper describes the intelligent environmental infrastructure we are developing as part of the SMARTLAGOON project. In particular, we here present our strategy to collect both (i) real-time environmental data exploiting an intelligent infrastructure which comprises a smart buoy and AI models running on cameras and a mobile application, and (ii) socio-environmental data engaging citizen scientists (including environmental NGO members, children) and extracting people opinions and topic trends from social media via our social media sensing tool. The integration of such data will feed our Digital Twin. The integration of such data will feed our Digital Twin, a power tool that will be designed to allow stakeholders to understand how the variables of interest will affect the sustainability of Mar Menor in the future.