Hard coastal-defence structures as habitats for native and exotic rocky-bottom species.
The use of hard coastal-defence structures, like breakwaters and seawalls, is rapidly increasing to prevent coastal erosion. We compared low-shore assemblages between wave-protected and wave-exposed habitats on breakwaters along a sandy shore of Tuscany (North-Western Mediterranean). Assemblages were generally characterized by a low diversity of taxa, with space monopolized by Mytilus galloprovincialis and Corallina elongata on the seaward side of breakwaters and by filamentous algae on the landward side. Assemblages in wave-protected habitats were characterized by greater temporal stability than those in exposed habitats and supported non-indigenous macroalgae such as Caulerpa racemosa and Codium fragile ssp. tomentosoides. Hence, the introduction of hard coastal-defence structures in otherwise soft-bottom dominated areas, attracting native and exotic rocky-bottom species, should be of great concern for the conservation of marine biodiversity at local and regional scales and for the management of biological invasions.
Vaselli
Stefano
S
Laboratory of Coastal Biodiversity, Centro Interdisciplinar de Investigação Marinha e Ambiental, Rua dos Bragas, 289, 4050-123 Porto, Portugal.
Bulleri
Fabio
F
Benedetti-Cecchi
Lisandro
L
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D044822:Biodiversity; D017753:Ecosystem; D007558:Italy; D008522:Mediterranean Sea; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011156:Population Density; D013997:Time Factors; D014872:Water Movements