Author:
Davenport Theresa M.,Seitz Rochelle D.,Knick Kathleen E.,Jackson Nina
Abstract
Abstract
Human population growth and sea-level rise are increasing the demand for protection of coastal property against shoreline erosion. Living shorelines are designed to provide shoreline protection and are constructed or reinforced using natural elements. While living shorelines are gaining popularity with homeowners, their ability to provide ecological services (e.g., habitat provision and trophic transfer) is not well understood, and information is needed to improve coastal and resource management decision-making. We examined benthic community responses to living shorelines in two case-study subestuaries of Chesapeake Bay using a before-after control-impact study design. At Windy Hill, a bulkhead was removed and replaced by three tombolos, sand fill, and native marsh vegetation. At Lynnhaven, 25 m of eroding marsh shoreline was stabilized with coir logs, sand fill, and native marsh vegetation. Communities of large (> 3 mm) infauna adjacent to living shorelines at both locations tended to increase in biomass by the end of the study period. Community compositions changed significantly following living shoreline construction at Windy Hill, reflecting a trend toward higher density and biomass of large bivalves at living shorelines compared to pre-construction. Increasing trends in density and biomass of clams and simultaneously decreasing density and decreasing trends in biomass of polychaetes suggest a transition toward stable infaunal communities at living shorelines over time, though longer-term studies are warranted.
Funder
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
National Science Foundation
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Subject
Ecology,Aquatic Science,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics
Reference55 articles.
1. Arkema, K.K., G. Guannel, G. Verutes, S.A. Wood, A. Guerry, M. Ruckelshaus, P. Kareiva, M. Lacayo, and J.M. Silver. 2013. Coastal habitats shield people and property from sea-level rise and storms. Nature Climate Change 3: 1–6.
2. Bilkovic, D.M., and M. Mitchell. 2013. Ecological tradeoffs of stabilized salt marshes as a shoreline protection strategy: effects of artificial structures on macrobenthic assemblages. Ecological Engineering 61: 469–481.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoleng.2013.10.011
.
3. Bilkovic, D.M., and M.M. Roggero. 2008. Effects of coastal development on nearshore estuarine nekton communities. Marine Ecology Progress Series 358: 27–39.
https://doi.org/10.3354/meps07279
.
4. Bilkovic, D. M., C. H. Hershner, M. R. Berman, K. J. Havens, and D. M. Stanhope. 2005. Evaluating nearshore communities as indicators of ecosystem health. In (Ed) S. A. Bartone, Estuarine indicators. CRC Press. Pp 365-379.
5. Bilkovic, D.M., M. Roggero, C.H. Hershner, and K.H. Havens. 2006. Influence of land use on macrobenthic communities in nearshore estuarine habitats. Estuaries and Coasts 29 (6B): 1185–1195.
https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02781819
.
Cited by
8 articles.
订阅此论文施引文献
订阅此论文施引文献,注册后可以免费订阅5篇论文的施引文献,订阅后可以查看论文全部施引文献