with the proliferation of coastal defences. This is an adaptation option (sensu IPCC 2014) that has been adopted worldwide to protect the growing coastal population and its property, transport infrastructure, industry and commerce, as well as valuable amenity and recreational areas (for review, see chapters in Burcharth et al. 2007, Zanuttigh et al. 2014). In this review, we discuss current evidence and thinking on biodiversity and ecosystem responses to global drivers of change, with a focus on recent rapid climate change and its interaction with regional and local impacts due to 'ocean sprawl'-the proliferation of artificial structures in the sea. We consider how efforts to combat climate change, such as mitigation via offshore renewables ('green' energies to reduce CO 2 emissions), and adaptation via sea defences are leading to a proliferation of artificial structures, resulting in changes in the proportion of hard versus soft coastal habitats, the distribution of species, assemblage composition, and community structure. We also discuss the role of coastal development, including ports and other transport infrastructure as well as offshore structures (e.g., oil and gas platforms), in altering coastal and marine ecosystem structure and functioning. Finally, we undertake a critical review of the current 'state of the art' in the emerging field of 'green engineering', which combines environmentally conscious attitudes, values, and principles with science, technology, and engineering practice, all directed towards improving local and global environmental quality. Our scope is the global coastline extending vertically to the uppermost extent of tidal influence, with particular emphasis on open coasts and offshore structures that have seen the most research. This is in contrast to the freshwater tidal reaches of estuaries, which have received little attention (but see Francis & Hoggart 2008, 2009, Hoggart et al. 2012). Many of the case studies and examples are drawn from temperate systems in developed countries, reflecting the experience of the authors and the distribution of published research. Two themes permeate our review: firstly, how ecosystem services are at risk from modification of the coast by artificial structures; secondly, the interaction between the provision of new 'hard' substratum as a societal adaptation response, resulting in altered habitat connectivity and changes in the distribution of species and composition of assemblages. We conclude by identifying current knowledge gaps and future research needs. Burgeoning coastal human populations The diversity of coastal habitats includes rocky shores, sandy and muddy beaches, barriers, spits and sand dunes, estuaries and lagoons, deltas, wetlands, and coral reefs. These individually and K27072_C004.indd 190 6/15/16 12:57 PM 191 OCEAN SPRAWL collectively provide a disproportionately greater number of ecosystem services (see Millennium Ecosystem Assessment [MEA] 2005 for a discussion of provisioning, regulating, supporting, and cultural services) to human ...
Aim Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries Management has highlighted the importance of studying ecosystem functions and services, and the biological traits that drive them. Yet, ecosystem services and the associated benefits that they provide are rarely the motive for creating marine protected area (MPA). Therefore, many MPA monitoring projects do not explicitly study these functions and services or the underlying biological traits linked to them. Location Lyme Bay MPA, located in the SW of England, was established in 2008 to protect the reef biodiversity across a 206‐km2 area, which includes rocky reef habitats, pebbly sand and soft muddy sediments. Mobile demersal fishing was excluded across the whole site to allow the recovery of the reef habitats. Methods Using a combination of towed underwater video and Baited Remote Underwater Video Systems changes in diversity (taxonomic and trait), and traits affected by mobile demersal fishing were assessed in Lyme Bay MPA over 10 years. Results There was a consistent increase in the number of taxa and the trait diversity they provide within the MPA as well as an increase in functional redundancy, which may increase community resilience to perturbations. Outside of the MPA there was an increase in the abundance of mobile species, while the MPA showed an increase in filter feeders. Main conclusions The MPA showed a trend towards more diverse and potentially resilient rocky reef habitats. This study constitutes a novel MPA assessment using multiple sampling methods to encompass a wide range of taxa. It also reinforces the importance of effective MPA monitoring, which has demonstrated changes in trait diversity and trait composition driven by changes in taxonomic diversity.
Estuaries provide important nursery and feeding habitat for numerous commercially and ecologically important fish, however, have been historically subject to substantial habitat alteration/degradation via environmental fluctuations, sea level rise, human activity on intertidal habitats, and adjacent land management. This review has summarized estuarine habitat use for 12 economically important finfish in the United Kingdom, of which seven were found to utilize estuarine habitats e.g. saltmarsh during their life cycle. This review reveals that ∼2500 km2 of intertidal habitat has been lost from estuaries in England and Wales since 1843. The implications of this large-scale habitat loss and continued anthropogenic disturbance within estuaries for a variety of fish species is discussed, in particular the requirement of finfish for particular habitats to be accessible and in a suitable condition. As a result of the high economic and social value of commercial and recreational fisheries, it is suggested that further research attention should investigate the spatial ecology of fish. Holistic fisheries management policies should also be considered, which would both sustainably manage fisheries landings but also account for the habitat requirements of the fisheries species.
The United Kingdom's first large-scale, offshore, long-line mussel farm deployed its first ropes in 2013 in Lyme Bay, southwest United Kingdom, located in an area of seabed that was heavily degraded due to historic bottom-towed fishing. It was hypothesised that due to the artificial structures that accumulate mussels and exclude destructive fishing practices, the seabed could be restored. To assess the restoration potential of the farm and its ecosystem interactions over time, a multi-method, annual monitoring approach was undertaken. Here, we tested the effects of the farm trial stations on the seabed habitat, epifauna and demersal species over 5 years. Responses of % mussel cover, sessile and sedentary, and mobile taxa were measured using three video methods. Within 2 years of infrastructure deployment, mussel clumps and shells were detected below the headlines, increasing the structural complexity of the seabed.After 4 years, there was a significantly greater abundance of mobile taxa compared to the Controls that remained open to trawling. Commercial European lobster and edible crab were almost exclusively recorded within the farm. We discuss whether these findings can be considered a restoration of the seabed and how these data can be used to inform the future management of offshore mariculture globally.
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