Landscape Visual Quality and Meiofauna Biodiversity on Sandy Beaches

Abstract

Sandy beaches are central economic assets, attracting more recreational users than other coastal ecosystems. However, urbanization and landscape modification can compromise both the functional integrity and the attractiveness of beach ecosystems. Our study aimed at investigating the relationship between sandy beach artificialization and the landscape perception by the users, and between sandy beach visual attractiveness and biodiversity. We conducted visual and biodiversity assessments of urbanized and semiurbanized sandy beaches in Brazil and Uruguay. We specifically examined meiofauna as an indicator of biodiversity. We hypothesized that urbanization of sandy beaches results in a higher number of landscape detractors that negatively affect user evaluation, and that lower-rated beach units support lower levels of biodiversity. We found that urbanized beach units were rated lower than semiurbanized units, indicating that visual quality was sensitive to human interventions. Our expectations regarding the relationship between landscape perception and biodiversity were only partially met; only few structural and functional descriptors of meiofauna assemblages differed among classes of visual quality. However, lower-rated beach units exhibited signs of lower environmental quality, indicated by higher oligochaete densities and significant differences in meiofauna structure. We conclude that managing sandy beaches needs to advance beyond assessment of aesthetic parameters to also include the structure and function of beach ecosystems. Use of such supporting tools for managing sandy beaches is particularly important in view of sea level rise and increasing coastal development.

Suitability of Free-Living Marine Nematodes as Bioindicators: Status and Future Considerations

“…Notably, multiple microcosm studies, field experiments, and literature analyses have been conducted on the topic of nematode responses to physical disturbance (see Schratzberger and Warwick, 1998;Schratzberger et al, 2009;Schratzberger and Somerfield, 2020) and include work that demonstrates that benthic trawling frequency affects nematode community structure (Schratzberger and Jennings, 2002). Two recent works have assessed changes in the meiobenthos in response to the presence of artificial reefs (Semprucci et al, 2017;Yang et al, 2019), and there is a wealth of literature on the effects of urbanization on the benthos (see Felix et al, 2016;Pereira et al, 2018;Muresan et al, 2019). The construction of artificial reefs, though done with conservation purposes in mind, can be detrimental to meiofauna community structure.…”

Use of the direct method for evaluation and valuation of the landscape visual quality

“…On the other hand, when asked about the influence of the urban construction in the degradation of the landscape, most of the respon dents, according to Ayala et al (2003), considered that urban construction influences negatively the overall landscape quality. In addition, Felix et al (2016) found that visual quality was sensitive to human interventions, and landscape units of urbanized sandy beaches were rated lower than those of semiurbanized beaches.…”

Análise da Qualidade Visual da Paisagem de praias arenosas na Orla de Itajaí-SC

“…Segundo Bildhauer & Pires (2015) a água do mar, a paisagem como um todo, a natureza, os morros e as pedras são considerados como aspectos positivos na paisagem. Estes elementos também foram observados por Marenzi (1996) e Félix et al (2016), que constataram que as fotografias avaliadas com maior pontuação apresentavam água e relevo acentuado na paisagem. Gonzaga et al (2004) do Parque Municipal do Passaúna, afirmam que a presença em abundância do elemento água pode ter contribuído para uma sensibilização favorável dos avaliadores e influenciado na determinação de uma classificação média "boa".…”

“…Neste estudo a praia da Atalaia apresentou Qualidade Visual da Paisagem média de 3,57 (Paisagem de Qualidade -Alta), Cabeçudas de 3,45 (Paisagem de Qualidade Média), e Brava Norte e Sul de 3,69 e 3,45 (Paisagem de Qualidade -Média) respectivamente. Trabalhos realizados em ecossistemas costeiros, tais como os de Marenzi (1996) e Félix et al (2016), também mostram resultados similares.…”

“…No entanto, ao analisar a vista do continente, foi observado que apenas exibir elementos naturais não determinou tal classificação, pois fica clara a necessidade de estruturas, mesmo que artificiais, que possibilitem a realização das atividades turísticas. Félix et al (2016), conclui que, uma vez urbanizada, a presença de serviços e infraestrutura aumenta a valoração da praia. A segunda fotografia que apresentou a maior nota média de valoração da QVP foi do costão rochoso no Canto do Morcego, localizado na porção norte da praia Brava.…”