LAUSR

This special issue gathers a selection of papers presented during Littoral 2016 in Biarritz organized by EUCC-France and the Coastal and Marine Union (EUCC). Entitled BThe Changing Littoral. Anticipation and Adaptation to Climate Change^ the conference allowed researchers and experts to take stock of scientific knowledge, new tools and methods of studying coastal zones (6 keynotes, 6 thematic workshops, 88 oral papers and 28 posters) (Battiau-Queney & Milon 2017). The conference addressed some fundamental questions about coastal environments and the different ways to reconcile nature and biodiversity conservation and sustainable development. It was also a noteworthy event to help French and European stakeholders present their Bsavoir-faire^ and exchange experiences about the practices and strategies of coastal management. Since decisions today will shape the future littoral, managers and policy makers have to adapt their strategy to the increasing vulnerability of coastal areas and to take account of the possible midand long-term effects of management practices. To do this they need a good knowledge of coastal systems and it is fundamental to disseminate the results of current research amongst managers, policy makers and the general public. Through Littoral 2016, EUCC-France and its partners have contributed to this objective. Research topics addressed in this special issue