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Ecological impact of coastal defence structures on sediment and mobile fauna: Evaluating and forecasting consequences of unavoidable modifications of native habitats

Ecological impact of coastal defence structures on sediment and mobile fauna: Evaluating and forecasting consequences of unavoidable modifications of native habitats
Ecological impact of coastal defence structures on sediment and mobile fauna: Evaluating and forecasting consequences of unavoidable modifications of native habitats
We analyse the effects of coastal defence structures, mainly low crested (LCS), on the surrounding intertidal and subtidal infaunal assemblages and mobile fauna. The results summarise joint studies within the DELOS project in Spain (Mediterranean Sea), Italy (Adriatic Sea) and UK (English Channel and Atlantic Ocean). We demonstrate that univariate analysis did not generally identify LCS impacts, but multivariate analyses did, this being a general trend across all locations and countries. Changes in sediment and infauna seem to be inevitable and usually tend to induce negative changes, particularly on the landward side and in the presence of additional structures or after beach nourishment. The consequences of LCS construction always depend on the response of the assemblages inhabiting a given region. However, to assess the ecological importance of the induced changes and to provide additional monitoring criteria, likely indicator species should be taken into account. The presence of species either coming from the new hard bottoms or associated to physical disturbances is viewed as a negative impact, while the potential nursery role of LCS is a positive one. The combined use of monitoring and forecast models allows to identify these impacts and may play a relevant role in mitigation protocols. Finally, our work supports the feasibility of introducing design criteria tending to facilitate a positive evolution of the assemblages surrounding the structures once the changes due to the presence of the LCS are completed and the new situation tends to become more stable.
environmental impact, coastal defence structures, low crested, sediments, infauna, mobile fauna, biotope forecasting
0378-3839
1027-1051
Martin, D.
8abf0647-d3f7-4fcf-ac10-ebaad80e0482
Bertasi, F.
204894ac-8b50-4d74-8cfc-df4ef10e9f1f
Colangelo, M.A.
a4fed251-6486-4f57-84c4-0d287a5b31e4
de Vries, M.F.
49467f40-ea03-407c-b6b0-05d63a325c5f
Frost, M.
56fa4d10-8cf3-4656-946b-f9661e4cd789
Hawkins, S.J.
758fe1c1-30cd-4ed1-bb65-2471dc7c11fa
Macpherson, E.
e0ad4f07-83ae-4e6c-a636-afaa24df6344
Moschella, P.S.
fa0d06f5-63d9-46d2-bd0b-d35ae1eefbbc
Satta, M.P.
5f60e9ec-0ba4-45e5-aa24-0b67fac8d33a
Thompson, R.C.
d632e905-6f51-49a0-9426-13c42c3d0a18
Ceccherelli, V.U.
f1fabbfa-7be7-471f-8c4b-7730e334f4dc
Martin, D.
8abf0647-d3f7-4fcf-ac10-ebaad80e0482
Bertasi, F.
204894ac-8b50-4d74-8cfc-df4ef10e9f1f
Colangelo, M.A.
a4fed251-6486-4f57-84c4-0d287a5b31e4
de Vries, M.F.
49467f40-ea03-407c-b6b0-05d63a325c5f
Frost, M.
56fa4d10-8cf3-4656-946b-f9661e4cd789
Hawkins, S.J.
758fe1c1-30cd-4ed1-bb65-2471dc7c11fa
Macpherson, E.
e0ad4f07-83ae-4e6c-a636-afaa24df6344
Moschella, P.S.
fa0d06f5-63d9-46d2-bd0b-d35ae1eefbbc
Satta, M.P.
5f60e9ec-0ba4-45e5-aa24-0b67fac8d33a
Thompson, R.C.
d632e905-6f51-49a0-9426-13c42c3d0a18
Ceccherelli, V.U.
f1fabbfa-7be7-471f-8c4b-7730e334f4dc

Martin, D., Bertasi, F., Colangelo, M.A., de Vries, M.F., Frost, M., Hawkins, S.J., Macpherson, E., Moschella, P.S., Satta, M.P., Thompson, R.C. and Ceccherelli, V.U. (2005) Ecological impact of coastal defence structures on sediment and mobile fauna: Evaluating and forecasting consequences of unavoidable modifications of native habitats. Coastal Engineering, 52 (10-11), 1027-1051. (doi:10.1016/j.coastaleng.2005.09.006).

Record type: Article

Abstract

We analyse the effects of coastal defence structures, mainly low crested (LCS), on the surrounding intertidal and subtidal infaunal assemblages and mobile fauna. The results summarise joint studies within the DELOS project in Spain (Mediterranean Sea), Italy (Adriatic Sea) and UK (English Channel and Atlantic Ocean). We demonstrate that univariate analysis did not generally identify LCS impacts, but multivariate analyses did, this being a general trend across all locations and countries. Changes in sediment and infauna seem to be inevitable and usually tend to induce negative changes, particularly on the landward side and in the presence of additional structures or after beach nourishment. The consequences of LCS construction always depend on the response of the assemblages inhabiting a given region. However, to assess the ecological importance of the induced changes and to provide additional monitoring criteria, likely indicator species should be taken into account. The presence of species either coming from the new hard bottoms or associated to physical disturbances is viewed as a negative impact, while the potential nursery role of LCS is a positive one. The combined use of monitoring and forecast models allows to identify these impacts and may play a relevant role in mitigation protocols. Finally, our work supports the feasibility of introducing design criteria tending to facilitate a positive evolution of the assemblages surrounding the structures once the changes due to the presence of the LCS are completed and the new situation tends to become more stable.

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More information

Published date: November 2005
Keywords: environmental impact, coastal defence structures, low crested, sediments, infauna, mobile fauna, biotope forecasting

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 56851
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/56851
ISSN: 0378-3839
PURE UUID: 6c5dd21c-1c6b-4aad-a49a-e1015355111c

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Date deposited: 06 Aug 2008
Last modified: 15 Mar 2024 11:04

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Contributors

Author: D. Martin
Author: F. Bertasi
Author: M.A. Colangelo
Author: M.F. de Vries
Author: M. Frost
Author: S.J. Hawkins
Author: E. Macpherson
Author: P.S. Moschella
Author: M.P. Satta
Author: R.C. Thompson
Author: V.U. Ceccherelli

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