Study

Habitat development along a highly urbanised foreshore

  • Published source details Heath T. & Moody G. (2013) Habitat development along a highly urbanised foreshore. New South Wales Coastal Conference, Sydney, Australia, 1-7.

Actions

This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

Action Category

Reduce the slope of intertidal artificial structures

Action Link
Biodiversity of Marine Artificial Structures

Create 'rock pools' on intertidal artificial structures

Action Link
Biodiversity of Marine Artificial Structures
  1. Reduce the slope of intertidal artificial structures

    A before-and-after study in 2012–2013 on an intertidal seawall in Sydney Harbour estuary, Australia (Heath & Moody 2013) reported that reducing the slope of the seawall, along with creating rock pools on the wall, increased the macroalgae, invertebrate and fish species richness on the wall. A total of 25 macroalgae, invertebrate and fish species were recorded on the seawall and in pools after the slope was reduced and pools were created, compared with 10 species on the seawall before (data not statistically tested). It is not clear whether these effects were the direct result of reducing the slope of the seawall or creating rock pools. The slope of a sandstone boulder seawall was reduced during reconstruction in July 2012 (details not reported). Three large rock pools (area: 2 m2; depth: 300 mm; volume: 600 l) were also created on the wall. Macroalgae, invertebrates and fishes were counted during low tide on the wall before reconstruction and on the wall and in pools after reconstruction in 2013 (sampling details and month not reported).

    (Summarised by: Ally Evans)

  2. Create 'rock pools' on intertidal artificial structures

    A before-and-after study in 2012–2013 on an intertidal seawall in Sydney Harbour estuary, Australia (Heath & Moody 2013) reported that creating rock pools on the seawall, along with reducing the slope of the wall, increased the macroalgae, invertebrate and fish species richness on the wall. A total of 25 macroalgae, invertebrate and fish species were recorded in pools and on the seawall after pools were created and the slope was reduced, compared with 10 species on the seawall before (data not statistically tested). It is not clear whether these effects were the direct result of creating rock pools or reducing the slope of the seawall. However, several macroalgae, invertebrate and fish species recorded in pools were absent from the seawall before pools were created. Rectangular rock pools (area: 2 m2; depth: 300 mm; volume: 600 l) were created using large rectangular sandstone blocks during reconstruction of a sandstone boulder seawall in July 2012. Pools were lined with pond-liners with limestone gravel and blocks in the base. There were two pools at midshore and one at highshore along the seawall. The slope of the seawall was also reduced during reconstruction. Macroalgae, invertebrates and fishes were counted during low tide on the wall before reconstruction and on the wall and in pools after reconstruction in 2013 (sampling details and month not reported).

    (Summarised by: Ally Evans)

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