Functional trait responses to different anthropogenic pressures

Festjens, Felien; Buyse, Jolien; Backer, Annelies De; Hostens, Kris; Lefaible, Nene; Vanaverbeke, Jan; Hoey, Gert Van

doi:10.1016/j.ecolind.2022.109854

Cited by 8 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 54 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Biodiversity was evaluated using the SR index, which is commonly used for EIA. However, this index, which is based on species presence or absence, does not consider the interactions among different species and between different ecosystem types [ 57 , 58 ]. For example, the index may remain constant over time even when the actual species changes.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evaluating the effectiveness of mitigation measures in environmental impact assessments: A comprehensive review of development projects in Korea

Kim,

Lee,

Choi

2024

Heliyon

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evaluating the effectiveness of mitigation measures in environmental impact assessments: A comprehensive review of development projects in Korea

Kim,

Lee,

Choi

2024

Heliyon

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

“…Macrobenthic communities were described by means of biotic and diversity indices (density (N), biomass (B), species richness (S), Shannon index (H′(loge)) and Simpson index (1−λ′)). The functional characterisation was done by means of functional indices calculation: functional richness (FRic), functional evenness (FEve), functional divergence (FDiv), Rao’s quadratic entropy (RaoQ) and the community bioturbation potential (BPc) (Festjens et al, 2023 ). Those four indices were selected as they are considered complementary measurements of functional diversity attributes for different environments and assemblages (Gusmao et al, 2016 ).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Nature-based solutions for coastal protection in sheltered and exposed coastal waters: integrated monitoring program for baseline ecological structure and functioning assessment

Boulenger,

Lanza-Arroyo,

Langedock

et al. 2024

Environ Monit Assess

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Nature-based solutions, such as shellfish reefs, can support natural coastal defence and be a potential solution for climate-resilient shorelines in the future. In the Belgian Part of the North Sea, the “Coastbusters” projects aim to develop nature-based coastal protection by favouring subtidal mussel bed establishment on the seafloor through typical longline aquaculture techniques. Mussel beds are dependent on environmental conditions, and both influence the physical and biogeochemical features in a soft-sediment environment. Therefore, a comprehensive ecological monitoring program is essential to assess the success of future mussel bed development and its influence on the surrounding ecosystem. For establishing a monitoring baseline of the two experimental areas, a combination of conventional benthic assessment methods (grab sampling and granulometry) and non-invasive techniques (sediment profile imaging and transect diving video surveys) were utilised. Although mussel reefs did not yet develop by the time of this study, clear differences in ecological and sedimentological characteristics were found between two experimental areas (sheltered and exposed), subjected to slightly different hydrodynamic conditions. The one sheltered by coastal sandbanks was dominated by fine-muddy sand, higher species richness, biomass, and higher biological activity (burrows, fauna, and biological beds) as observed by all methods in one or another way. Moreover, functional diversity indices revealed a higher partitioning of the total available resources, suggesting more complex ecological processes in the sheltered area. Conversely, the area more exposed to the open sea was dominated by more sandy sediments, and fewer organisms were found. The combination of those different monitoring tools provides an integrated, complementary view, from different perspectives, on the biological, physical and functional characteristics of the study areas.

show abstract

“…To fully understand pressure responses, habitat value, and ultimately improve conservation planning, studies have been increasingly focusing on the functional ecology of marine ecosystems [74][75][76]. The biodiversity of an ecosystem can often determine how the overall system functions [77][78][79] and indicators of ecosystem function such as secondary production (i.e., fish biomass) can be measured and rates and relationship to biodiversity compared between settings [64,80].…”

Section: Productivity and Abundancementioning

confidence: 99%

Haven or hell? A perspective on the ecology of offshore oil and gas platforms

Fortune,

Madgett,

Scarborough Bull

et al. 2024

PLOS Sustain Transform

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Offshore oil and gas platforms (OGP) have been installed worldwide and initially with limited consideration given to the nature of their positive or negative long-term interactions with the natural marine habitats. However, as OGP reach the end of their useful life, with many being decommissioned and removed, it is timely to review the growing evidence of the association of marine biota with OGP to provide a summary and synthesis for policy makers and to give insight to decisions in increasingly crowded marine spatial plans. In the last decade, there has been rapid increase in studies concerning the ecological role of OGP. This research reveals strong contextual difference between platforms in different geographical regions, but all OGP add to local biodiversity particularly where hard substrata are introduced to areas dominated by depositional (mud and sand) habitats. This includes the attraction and increased productivity of fish, sessile invertebrates, and algae while also affecting change in the benthic habitats beneath platforms. There also evidence of the OGP changing local hydrodynamics conditions with effects on phytoplankton and local scour. In terms of the biota associated with OGP, water depth is a major driver of community type across systems. This study emphasises that while knowledge of OGP communities and species has improved, there are still significant knowledge gaps that may prevent the most environmentally beneficial decisions being made around decommissioning. There are few studies following the effect of decommissioning (topping, toppling, or removal) on the ecology of the systems as they change with time (longitudinal research) for the decommissioning event. There is also a need for more studies comparing the biodiversity and functionality of OGP system to artificial and natural reefs and habitats to better understand the ecological cost-benefit of decommissioning scenarios. Finally, commercial data is often unavailable and even when available, surveys are often conducted using varied methodology that prevents comparative analysis. By imposing/agreeing standards and sharing data around the ecological cost-benefit of decommissioning strategies, improve policy guidance concerning OGP planning, and management might emerge.

show abstract

Functional trait responses to different anthropogenic pressures

Cited by 8 publications

References 54 publications

Evaluating the effectiveness of mitigation measures in environmental impact assessments: A comprehensive review of development projects in Korea

Evaluating the effectiveness of mitigation measures in environmental impact assessments: A comprehensive review of development projects in Korea

Nature-based solutions for coastal protection in sheltered and exposed coastal waters: integrated monitoring program for baseline ecological structure and functioning assessment

Haven or hell? A perspective on the ecology of offshore oil and gas platforms

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About