The conservation value of artificial habitats in the marine environment: a case study of the artificial rocky shores of The Netherlands
✍ Scribed by Wim J. Wolff
- Publisher
- John Wiley and Sons
- Year
- 1999
- Tongue
- English
- Weight
- 47 KB
- Volume
- 9
- Category
- Article
- ISSN
- 1052-7613
No coin nor oath required. For personal study only.
✦ Synopsis
Introduction
Man's impact on the marine environment continues to increase. This is also true for the presence of artificial structures, illustrated by the abundance of wrecks and all types of waste on the sea bottom. Along the seashore man has changed the coastal habitats through reclamation, harbour construction and urbanization. This trend can be expected to continue into the next millennium. Artificial structures at sea and along the coast often form new types of habitat, thus providing opportunities for numerous species of plants and animals, many of which would not otherwise occur in these localities. An example is the numerous ship wrecks lying on the predominantly mobile, soft sediment seabed of the North Sea. The provision of hard substrates in the form of wrecks creates living conditions for hard-bottom organisms; in fact, the only living conditions for these species in this type of area. Hence, many believe that the presence of wrecks creates a welcome addition to the biodiversity of the North Sea.
There is a rich literature on the creation of artificial reefs for conservation or fisheries purposes. This paper, however, will discuss the conservation value of artificial habitats created for other reasons in the marine environment. As a case study I describe the development of artificial rocky shores along the coast of The Netherlands, giving a short description of their flora and fauna and, finally, focusing on the conservation value of this new habitat. Do such habitats have any conservation value and, if so, does this value warrant conservation measures? This discussion might pave the way for a closer examination of other artificial structures at sea and along the coast, in order to determine whether conservation measures should also apply to other artificial habitats.
ARTIFICIAL ROCKY SHORES ALONG THE COAST OF THE NETHERLANDS
Originally the coast of The Netherlands consisted of sand, mud and peat, with stones and boulders, imported by the Pleistocene Ice Age glaciers, occasionally being found in the northern part of the country. Especially in the south, no suitable habitat existed for sessile rocky shore species, although some of these species are able to live on submerged peat or wood.