Coastal armouring affects intertidal biodiversity across the Alboran Sea (Western Mediterranean Sea). (October 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Sedano, F.; Pavón-Paneque, A.; Navarro-Barranco, C.; Guerra-García, J.M.; Digenis, M.; Sempere-Valverde, J.; Espinosa, F.
• Is Part Of: Marine environmental research. Volume 171(2021)
• Publication Date: 2021-10
• Subjects: Artificial substrates -- Richness -- Seawall -- Boulder -- Regional -- Hardening -- Coastal defence; Marine pollution -- Environmental aspects -- Periodicals; Marine ecology -- Periodicals; Mer -- Pollution -- Aspect de l'environnement -- Périodiques; Écologie marine -- Périodiques; Electronic journals; 577.705
• DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2021.105475
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0141-1136

Abstract

Abstract: Intertidal ecosystems are key habitats that are being replaced by artificial hard substrates due to the increment of human activities in coastal areas. These new substrates host generally less biodiversity mainly due to differences in complexity and composition. This is a global phenomenon and has led to the development of strategies in the framework of eco-engineering. However, mitigating measures, such as new eco-designs, must cope with the high spatial variability of the region where they are applied. Therefore, in order to assess if differences in biodiversity detected at local scales in previous studies could be scaled up to predict patterns at a wider scale, we studied taxa richness and taxonomic structure of intertidal communities across the Alboran Sea (western Mediterranean Sea). We compared four different types of artificial substrates (cubes, rip-raps, seawalls and tetrapods) to assess which produces less impact. Overall, artificial substrates host low benthic biodiversity, specially on seawalls, whereas boulder-like artificial structures such as rip-raps were more similar to natural ones. Nevertheless, the effect of a particular type of artificial structure at a regional scale seems unpredictable, highlighting the challenge that eco-engineering measures face in order to establish global protocols for biodiversity enhancement and the importance of local scale in management programmes. Highlights: Artificial substrates across the Alboran Sea hosted low benthic biodiversity. Rip-raps are better surrogates of natural habitats while seawalls hosted lower biodiversity. Boulder-like artificial substrates harboured ecologically important species. Biodiversity patterns at regional scale are idiosyncratic.