The Belgium sandy coastline is very vulnerable to erosion; therefore, development of sustainable and nature-based coastal protection solutions is important. Enhancing the settlement of the ecosystem engineer Lanice conchilega (Pallas, 1766) which stabilises the sediment bed, is a possible solution. In order to enhance larval settlement by artificial substrates in the field, efficient methodologies are required to screen a wide range of artificial substrates and measure how they influence currents and larval settlement. Therefore, in this study, we describe the development of innovative artificial substrate screening methodologies using an optimised recirculating aquaculture system (RAS) by: (1) analysing the capture rate of passively floating plastic particles, (2) measuring current velocity by means of an acoustic doppler velocimeter and (3) monitoring settlement of living L. conchilega larvae. Of the eight substrates evaluated, one was proven to significantly enhance the settlement of L. conchilega, namely Geotextile 3D knitted fabric with PES knit, PA spacers and wood sticks mounted at a density of 680 sticks/m2. The results of this study show that controlled lab conditions, in conjunction with innovative methods, allowed for successful screening of a number of substrates in a short time in terms of their ability to enhance larvae settlement.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.