The secondee performed prospection and selection of sampling areas, according to the sampling design. The three selected locations were studied in cooperation and collaboration with the host institution, ranging from the access to research facilities and infrastructure to the exchange of information on ecological and societal processes as subsidies for Marine Spatial Planning. The selected sites were chosen in the effort of ranging throughout the Sine Saloum delta, in cities/areas of Palmarin (Saloum river), Gira (Diomboss river), and Toubakouta (Bandiala river).

The secondee has had the opportunity to meet collaborators at the Centre de Suivi Ecologique (Dieynaba Seck), IRD and UCAD (Malick Diouf, Eric Machu, Ibrahima Ly) besides the Secretary of Community Marine Protected Areas, in the Ministry of Environment to exchange on available geographical data. Future projects on organising a field course on mangrove ecology with UCAD students and a day to raise awareness on the protection of marine environment through an interdisciplinary approach have been explored, to be organised during a next secondment. All scheduled samples will be collected accordingly, including sediment, water (both runoff and tide), and faunal and flora tissues (feeding in work package 2, task 2.3).