The introduction of coastal The introduction of coastal infrastructure as a driver of infrastructure as a driver of change in marine change in marine environmentsenvironmentsBy Fabio Bulleri and Maura G. By Fabio Bulleri and Maura G. ChapmanChapman

Presented by:Presented by:XiaXiannbin Liu and Laura Fidalgobin Liu and Laura FidalgoCourse: Coastal Environment – CIAM Course: Coastal Environment – CIAM 61176117Department of Environmental ScienceDepartment of Environmental ScienceUniversidad de Puerto Rico, Rio PiedrasUniversidad de Puerto Rico, Rio PiedrasThursday, September 27, 2012Thursday, September 27, 2012

IntroductionIntroduction

ProblemProblem– Human settlement near shore Human settlement near shore

(75% by 2025)(75% by 2025)– Major tourism destinationMajor tourism destination– Impacted coastal landscapeImpacted coastal landscape– Alteration of intertidal zone Alteration of intertidal zone

and nearshore estuaries and and nearshore estuaries and marine waters habitatmarine waters habitat

Homogeneous topography Homogeneous topography affects species interactionsaffects species interactions

Unnatural Material affect Unnatural Material affect colonizationcolonization

FragmentationFragmentation

– Diffident ecological Diffident ecological impact studiesimpact studies

IntroductionIntroduction

ObjectivesObjectives– Summarize the Summarize the

ecological impact of ecological impact of urban infrastructure urban infrastructure on marine habitat on marine habitat know todayknow today

– Discuss the Discuss the implication of implication of alternative coastal alternative coastal defense optionsdefense options

– Identify the direction Identify the direction of future researchof future research

Urban CoastalUrban CoastalInfrastructureInfrastructure

BreakwatersBreakwaters– Reduce the Reduce the

intensity of waves intensity of waves in inshore watersin inshore waters

– Decreases Decreases nutrients input nutrients input and waste wash and waste wash off off

– Changes marine Changes marine life distributionlife distribution

Management Management Alternative Alternative IIncorporatingncorporating intointo shoreline shoreline

stabilization natural elements:stabilization natural elements:– Wetland VegetationWetland Vegetation– Seagrasses Seagrasses – Coarse Woody DebrisCoarse Woody Debris– Shellfish Reefs Shellfish Reefs – Coral ReefsCoral Reefs

Reduces ecological impacts without Reduces ecological impacts without impinging on their eimpinging on their effifficacy in halting cacy in halting erosion.erosion.

Urban CoastalUrban CoastalInfrastructureInfrastructure

GroynesGroynes– Reduce along-Reduce along-

shore transport of shore transport of sediments sediments

Management Management AlternativeAlternative

Small size groynes are less detrimental Small size groynes are less detrimental to shore sediment movement.to shore sediment movement.

Sand dunesSand dunes– Protect beaches from erosion and recruit Protect beaches from erosion and recruit

sand to eroded beaches.sand to eroded beaches.

Urban CoastalUrban CoastalInfrastructureInfrastructure

JettiesJetties– Reduce wave- Reduce wave-

and tide-and tide-generated generated currentscurrents

– Affects intertidal Affects intertidal organisms organisms biodiversity biodiversity

Management Management AlternativeAlternative BBetter collaborationetter collaboration amongamong engineers, engineers,

managers and ecologists to developmanagers and ecologists to develop improved ways of building improved ways of building infrastructure. infrastructure.

Provide habitatProvide habitat for more species for more species without compromising engineering without compromising engineering standards.standards.

Urban CoastalUrban CoastalInfrastructureInfrastructure

Seawalls BulkheadsSeawalls Bulkheads– Reduces the impact Reduces the impact

of waves on shoreof waves on shore– Does not support Does not support

natural communities natural communities assemblagesassemblages

– Increases steepness Increases steepness of shore of shore

– Deeper nearshore Deeper nearshore waterswaters

Management Management AlternativeAlternative

(a) Intertidal ‘rock-(a) Intertidal ‘rock-pools’ constructed in pools’ constructed in the vertical face of athe vertical face of a seawall in Sydney seawall in Sydney Harbour (Australia).Harbour (Australia).

Mitigates eMitigates effffects of ects of loss or degradation ofloss or degradation of rocky platforms on rocky platforms on intertidal biodiversity. intertidal biodiversity.

(b) Rock-pool(b) Rock-pool retaining water retaining water during low tide.during low tide.

Urban CoastalUrban CoastalInfrastructureInfrastructure

PilingsPilings– Sustain Sustain

infrastructure, infrastructure, such as bridges, such as bridges, piers, dockspiers, docks

– Shading and Shading and seafloor proximity seafloor proximity affects affects communities communities assemblages assemblages (Glasby, 1999)(Glasby, 1999)

Management Management AlternativeAlternative Height, orientation, and width of Height, orientation, and width of

docks, piers, and bridges may reduce docks, piers, and bridges may reduce impact to vegetation productivity impact to vegetation productivity ((Shaefer, D. and J. Lundin, 1999).

Urban CoastalUrban CoastalInfrastructureInfrastructure

Floating docksFloating docks– Creates boating Creates boating

facilitiesfacilities– Shading Shading

consequences:consequences: Decrease benthic Decrease benthic

productivityproductivity Decrease Decrease

carbon/nitrogen carbon/nitrogen contentcontent

Changes in physical Changes in physical characteristics in characteristics in sediment sediment underneathunderneath

– Affects Epibiota Affects Epibiota StructureStructure

Urban CoastalUrban CoastalInfrastructureInfrastructure

Ropes-poles/Ropes-poles/cages-netscages-nets– Constituents of Constituents of

aquaculture aquaculture facilitiesfacilities

– Marine water Marine water pollutionpollution

Management Management AlternativeAlternative Onshore fish farms are the most Onshore fish farms are the most

sustainable types of aquaculture.sustainable types of aquaculture.– the self-contained systems do not pollute the the self-contained systems do not pollute the

marine environment. marine environment.

Future directions for Future directions for researchresearch How fundamental ecological How fundamental ecological

processes are affectedprocesses are affected Ecological interaction on artificial Ecological interaction on artificial

structuresstructures Ecological engineeringEcological engineering

Concluding remarksConcluding remarks

Urban marine novel ecosystem Urban marine novel ecosystem need a closer understandingneed a closer understanding– Sustaining biodiversitySustaining biodiversity– Successful conservation and Successful conservation and

managementmanagement– Mitigate human coastal Mitigate human coastal

development and climate change development and climate change effects effects

Discussion Discussion

ReferenceReference

Curran, C. and D. Hoskins. 2006. Assessing the Curran, C. and D. Hoskins. 2006. Assessing the Impacts of Floating Docks on Bottom Character Impacts of Floating Docks on Bottom Character and Benthic Productivity in Coastal Georgia.and Benthic Productivity in Coastal Georgia.

Kunkel, C. M., R. W. Hallberg, and M. Oppenheimer. 2006. Coral reefs reduce tsunami impact in model simulations, Geophys. Res. Lett., 33, L23612, doi:10.1029/2006GL027892.

The University of Sidney wed site: http://sydney.edu.au/science/bio/eicc/publications/journal_articles/index.shtml

Shaefer, D. and J. Lundin. 1999. Design and Construction of Docks to Minimize Seagrass Impacts. US Army Corps of Engineers WRP Technical Note VN–RS–3.1 June 1999.