The University of Southampton
University of Southampton Institutional Repository

Implications of dredging induced changes in sediment particle size composition for the structure and function of marine benthic macrofaunal communities

Implications of dredging induced changes in sediment particle size composition for the structure and function of marine benthic macrofaunal communities
Implications of dredging induced changes in sediment particle size composition for the structure and function of marine benthic macrofaunal communities
A meta-analysis approach was used to assess the effect of dredging induced changes in sediment composition, under different conditions of natural physical disturbance, for the structure and function of marine benthic macrofaunal communities. Results showed the sensitivity of macrofaunal communities increased as both the proportion of gravel increased and the level of natural physical disturbance decreased. These findings may be explained by the close association of certain taxa with the gravel fraction, and the influence of natural physical disturbance which, as it increases, tends to restrict the colonisation by these species. We conclude that maintaining the gravel content of surface sediments after dredging and, where practicable, locating extraction sites in areas of higher natural disturbance will minimise the potential for long-term negative impacts on the macrofauna.
Biological impacts, Function, Marine aggregate extraction, Physical impacts, Sediment
0025-326X
2087-2094
Cooper, Keith M.
66a5ede5-1e05-4ccd-8a41-4196febf06f3
Curtis, M.
5fd09e84-5697-476c-b071-2d560c3e31e9
Wan Hussin, W. M.R.
a5fcd33f-60dd-478b-9d86-e32bf75709ff
Barrio Froján, Christopher R. S.
4935e7ee-ac0f-41bd-b00b-2c5806561d74
Defew, E. C.
ad9f7afc-13b2-4063-ab1e-f7656efa2079
Nye, V.
e3688d01-623f-47b5-9a4c-7e49b16aa5a8
Paterson, D. M.
67cad7f7-84c3-4f6b-8309-f54a7fd5da88
et al.
Cooper, Keith M.
66a5ede5-1e05-4ccd-8a41-4196febf06f3
Curtis, M.
5fd09e84-5697-476c-b071-2d560c3e31e9
Wan Hussin, W. M.R.
a5fcd33f-60dd-478b-9d86-e32bf75709ff
Barrio Froján, Christopher R. S.
4935e7ee-ac0f-41bd-b00b-2c5806561d74
Defew, E. C.
ad9f7afc-13b2-4063-ab1e-f7656efa2079
Nye, V.
e3688d01-623f-47b5-9a4c-7e49b16aa5a8
Paterson, D. M.
67cad7f7-84c3-4f6b-8309-f54a7fd5da88

Cooper, Keith M., Curtis, M., Wan Hussin, W. M.R. and Barrio Froján, Christopher R. S. , et al. (2011) Implications of dredging induced changes in sediment particle size composition for the structure and function of marine benthic macrofaunal communities. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 62 (10), 2087-2094. (doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2011.07.021).

Record type: Article

Abstract

A meta-analysis approach was used to assess the effect of dredging induced changes in sediment composition, under different conditions of natural physical disturbance, for the structure and function of marine benthic macrofaunal communities. Results showed the sensitivity of macrofaunal communities increased as both the proportion of gravel increased and the level of natural physical disturbance decreased. These findings may be explained by the close association of certain taxa with the gravel fraction, and the influence of natural physical disturbance which, as it increases, tends to restrict the colonisation by these species. We conclude that maintaining the gravel content of surface sediments after dredging and, where practicable, locating extraction sites in areas of higher natural disturbance will minimise the potential for long-term negative impacts on the macrofauna.

This record has no associated files available for download.

More information

e-pub ahead of print date: 27 August 2011
Published date: 1 October 2011
Additional Information: Funding Information: We gratefully acknowledge the support of the Marine Aggregate Levy Sustainability Fund (MALSF) who funded this work (Project Ref: MEPF 08-P40). We are also grateful to Marine Ecological Surveys Ltd. (MESL) for providing survey data from a Areas 106, 430, 447, and to Annelise Fleddum (City University of Hong Kong) for making available her data on biological traits for use in this study. We are also grateful to colleagues who have provided comments on earlier drafts of this manuscript, and to Jon Barry for his help with aspects of the data analyses.
Keywords: Biological impacts, Function, Marine aggregate extraction, Physical impacts, Sediment
Organisations: Ocean Biochemistry & Ecosystems

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 206413
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/206413
ISSN: 0025-326X
PURE UUID: 6266be0c-c4c3-425f-9969-278a6dbc4e92
ORCID for Christopher R. S. Barrio Froján: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0001-5562-5508

Catalogue record

Date deposited: 20 Dec 2011 14:27
Last modified: 15 Mar 2024 04:15

Export record

Altmetrics

Contributors

Author: Keith M. Cooper
Author: M. Curtis
Author: W. M.R. Wan Hussin
Author: Christopher R. S. Barrio Froján ORCID iD
Author: E. C. Defew
Author: V. Nye
Author: D. M. Paterson
Corporate Author: et al.

Download statistics

Downloads from ePrints over the past year. Other digital versions may also be available to download e.g. from the publisher's website.

View more statistics

Atom RSS 1.0 RSS 2.0

Contact ePrints Soton: eprints@soton.ac.uk

ePrints Soton supports OAI 2.0 with a base URL of http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/cgi/oai2

This repository has been built using EPrints software, developed at the University of Southampton, but available to everyone to use.

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue without changing your settings, we will assume that you are happy to receive cookies on the University of Southampton website.

×