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
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
1 October 2011
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), .
(doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2011.07.021).
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.
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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
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Date deposited: 20 Dec 2011 14:27
Last modified: 15 Mar 2024 04:15
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Contributors
Author:
Keith M. Cooper
Author:
M. Curtis
Author:
W. M.R. Wan Hussin
Author:
Christopher R. S. Barrio Froján
Author:
E. C. Defew
Author:
V. Nye
Author:
D. M. Paterson
Corporate Author: et al.
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