COASTAL INFRASTRUCTURE

Primary Source: The introduction of coastal infrastructure as a

driver of change in marine environments. (2010) Authors: Fabio

Bulleri and Maura G. Chapman, Journal of Applied Ecology

Presentation prepared by: Glorynel Ojeda-Matos, BSCE, MP

Department of Environmental Sciences

University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Fabio Bulleri Maura G. Chapman

Department of Biology,

University of Pisa, Italy

Centre for Research on Ecological

Impacts of Coastal Cities

School of Biological Sciences,

University of Sydney, Australia

Marine Ecology, restoration of habitat

Effects of coastal development

PAPER CONTENT

Summary

Introduction

Ecological consequences of the introduction of

artificial structures

• Introduction of Novel Habitat

• Effects on Adjacent Habitats

• Regional or Large-scale Changes

• Implications for the Spread of Exotic Species

Alternative management options

Future directions for research

Concluding remarks

OUR OBJECTIVES ARE:

I. Overview of the current knowledge of the

ecological effects and impacts of urban

infrastructure on marine habitats.

II. Discuss the alternative coastal defence options

might mitigate their impacts.

III. Identify future research directions that might

advance understanding of these artificial

habitats and, hence, our ability to preserve

biodiversity in urbanized environments.

EXPONENTIAL GROWTH OF POPULATIONS

Many of the largest cities in the world are located in coastal zones.

Areas with higher coastal population generally link to a more altered

state of shoreline.

75% of people are expected to live within 100 km of a coast by 2025.

Source: https://wiki.colby.edu/display/stateofmaine2009/State+of+Coastal+and+Marine+Management+in+Maine

TRANSFORMATION WILL ACCELERATE…

Exponential growth of human populations

Global changes

Sea-level rise

Increased frequency of extreme meteorological events

Image (Season 2011) : http://www.envivopr.com/

COASTAL SHORELINE

HARD STABILIZATION: TWO MAJOR CATEGORIES

Structures that are constructed

parallel to the beach designed to

protect the land and buildings

located immediately landward or

nearshore waters which act to

intercept and reduce the energy

of approaching waves.

Onshore

Seawalls, Bulkheads

Offshore

Breakwaters

Onshore to offshore

Pilings

Structures that are constructed

perpendicular to the beach and

extend out into the water. These

types of structures are designed to

retard or interrupt the longshore

movement of sand and accumulate

sand on the beach up drift of the

structure.

Groins

Jetties

Shore-parallel structures Shore-perpendicular structures

Shore-Parallel Onshore Structures

Shore-Parallel Offshore Structures

Shore-Perpendicular Structures

Source: http://www.csc.noaa.gov/archived/beachnourishment/html/geo/shorelin.htm

Groin at

Folly Beach ,

South Carolina

T-shaped

Y-shaped

Breakwaters at Sea Palling, Norfolk, EnglandSeawall at Galveston, Texas

was constructed in 1539

between the 1760s and 1780s, many

of the present walls were added

forty foot high security wall around

is positioned 140ft/43m above sea

level, and is surrounded by an

18ft/5.5m thick wall.

Fort San Felipe del Morro at Old San Juan

Sea wall – defensa marítima,

muralla de defensa, malecón

Boardwalk at La Esperanza, Vieques Island

Sea wall at Old San Juan, Puerto Rico

Azores Breakwater Repair (Terciera Island, Azores, Portugal)

Response to a major breakwater failure to protect key US Military facilities.

Breakwater - rock fill

placed by hand.

Rompeola de escollera -

acomodado a mano.

Source: http://www.baird.com/what-we-do/project/azores-breakwater-repair

ECOLOGICAL IMPACTS OF COASTAL INFRASTRUCTURE

Artificial structures are also often constructed of unnatural material,

(e.g. concrete, plastic or metal) which may affect colonization.

ECOLOGICAL IMPACTS OF COASTAL INFRASTRUCTURE

Current data indicate that artificial structures do not function as

surrogates of natural habitat.

Source: http://www.slideshare.net/scamay/ecological-enhancement-of-coastal-and-marine-infrastructures-finkel

Groynes (Groins) are generally

made of wood, concrete, or rock

piles, and placed in groups.

Rompeolas, espigones

Port of Spain, total length of 550 m

FROM PUNTA LIMA, NAGUABO TO PUNTA

ARENAS VIEQUES ISLAND (WEST SIDE )

Puerto Rico's underwater cable By Gabriel D'Attili

PUNTA ARENAS, VIEQUES, PUERTO RICO

1994 2006

2012 2012

WEBINAR, CTPR (2012): Calentamiento Global y el efecto en nuestras costas. Aurelio Mercado Irizarry, Programa Sea Grant, UPRM

Vary according to the nature of the surrounding

habitat(s)

Evidence that epibiota living on and fish assemblages

associated with artificial structures, differ from those

on natural reefs.

Different types of infrastructure generally provide

vertical habitat, whereas many natural habitats slope

more gently or have heterogeneous topography.

Densities may be abnormally increased, or species

that do not usually come into contact can be forced to

occupy the same area, potentially increasing the

strength of interspecific interactions.

ECOLOGICAL IMPACTS OF COASTAL INFRASTRUCTURE

Altering the feeding behaviour and local distribution -

The biota living on artificial structures may also

provide an important food-source for species living in

adjacent waters.

Fragmentation and loss of habitat

Substantial alteration in the functioning of the system

Many built structures are deployed on sedimentary

bottoms and severe sand-scouring can be an important

cause of mortality for sessile organisms, ultimately

leading to relatively low levels of species richness.

ECOLOGICAL IMPACTS OF COASTAL INFRASTRUCTURE

o Potentially causing loss of nursery and foraging

grounds for fish and shorebirds, or breeding sites for

turtles.

o Prevent inland migration of these habitats if sea-

level rises.

o Changes water flow - Disruption of water flow by

infrastructure may stop or limit dispersal of

propagules.

o Illumination – Light Pollution

o Increase rates of sedimentation

ECOLOGICAL IMPACTS OF COASTAL INFRASTRUCTURE

In many cases, infrastructure is, however, obligatory, either for public safety or to meet engineering standards (e.g. ports, roads, bridges or wharves). Under these circumstances, minimizing their ecological impacts should be considered a priority.

The age of introduced surfaces is also an important determinant of the extent to which the assemblages they support can resemble those on natural rocky substrata.

Managed retreat or realignment of hard coastal defence structures (mostly seawalls) has been identified as an adaptive strategy for alleviating estuarine flood risk or for the re-establishment of ecologically valuable intertidal habitats.

ALTERNATIVE MANAGEMENT OPTIONS

Burt et al. (2009) have shown that the use of

Gabbro as a material to construct breakwaters

could encourage the recovery of corals in

tropical regions, while Russell et al. (1983) have

shown that disused docks can support diverse

assemblages of marine animals and plants and

can be used to promote educational, amenity

and economic activities.

ALTERNATIVE MANAGEMENT OPTIONS

Conventional coastal engineering compared with

new ecosystem-based defence.

ALTERNATIVE MANAGEMENT OPTIONS

Ecosystem creation and restoration can provide a more

sustainable, cost-effective and ecologically sound

alternative to conventional coastal engineering

Source: http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v504/n7478/full/nature12859.html

Ecological Engineering: Combining science, design,

and engineering for creating sustainable ecosystems

that integrate human society with its natural

environment for the benefit of both (Mitsch 96).

ALTERNATIVE MANAGEMENT OPTIONS

Source: http://www.slideshare.net/scamay/ecological-enhancement-of-coastal-and-marine-infrastructures-finkel

Improved water quality or enhancement of habitats

for birds, amphibians and crabs.

MARINE URBAN ECOSYSTEMS

Coastal ecosystem restoration project in New York City integrates revegetation

(a form of green infrastructure) with bulkheads and riprap (gray or built infrastructure).

©Department of City Planning, New York City.

MARINE URBAN ECOSYSTEMS

Novel or emerging ecosystems

Needs of research for advancing our understanding

of marine urban ecosystems

Importance of these novel conditions for sustaining

biodiversity

Successful conservation or management of species

needs robust and up-to-date ecological knowledge

and theories

FUTURE DIRECTIONS FOR RESEARCH

Alternative management options might mitigate their impacts.

Incorporate ecological criteria into coastal engineering - to develop improved ways of building infrastructure to provide habitat formore species without compromising engineering standards.

Identify the mechanisms that cause differences in patterns or processes between natural and artificial rocky habitats.

Understanding how fundamental ecological processes (competition, predation, facilitation, etc.) are affected

FUTURE DIRECTIONS FOR RESEARCH

Field experiments with adequate replication and

at spatial and temporal scales relevant to

managers so that the results of the experiments

can underpin future management practices.

It is important that engineering practices become

flexible and recognize that the same design may

have different outcomes in different places.

There is little current knowledge about how

connected are marine populations.

The potential role of marine artificial structures

in promoting gene exchange remains virtually

unexplored.

PUERTO RICO

In Puerto Rico there are 8,431 hectares classified as coastal

barriers. These are principally in the Southwest and Northeast

side of the Island. These are fragile and high risk coastal areas,

primarily formed from consolidated sediments. This structure

explains coastal areas’ high instability for construction and

erosion susceptibility.

Needs

Extensive studies of coastal erosion, which include physical

and quantitative estimates of damages from erosion.

Study the process of erosion and sand deposits in various

sites.

Protect the coast using creative, environmentally safe and

cost-effective measures.

Puerto Rico Coastal Zone Management Program, Executive Summary , August 2008

It is not yet possible to provide a ‘recipe book’ of ecological

engineering, but with more experimental collaborations

between engineers and ecologists, progress will be made.