Muddy waters: elevating sediment input to coastal and estuarine habitats

Abstract

Changes in land use and the development of coastal regions around the world have markedly increased rates of sediment input into estuarine and coastal habitats. Field studies looking at the consequences of terrestrial sediment deposition, water‐borne sediment, and long‐term changes in habitats indicate that increasing rates of sediment loading adversely affect the biodiversity and ecological value of estuarine and coastal ecosystems. Managing this threat requires means with which to convey the magnitude of the problem, forecast long‐term trends, and assess the risks associated with changes in land use. Here we focus on approaches for assessing the risks of changes in land use, which include combining biological effect studies with catchment and hydrodynamic modeling, using statistical models that forecast the distribution and abundance of species relative to changes in habitat type, and using sensitive species that play important ecological roles as indicators of change.

Increase in biodiversity in the arctic rocky littoral, Sorkappland, Svalbard, after 20 years of climate warming

“…The local effects of climate change include increased wind and glacial melt, and the resulting increased siltation (Thrush et al 2004; unpublished reports from IOPAS) leads to a reduction in the euphotic zone. This, in turn, creates an upward shift of macrophytobenthos as has been observed along Baltic shores (Bucas et al 2007).…”

Respiratory responses of three Antarctic ascidians and a sea pen to increased sediment concentrations

“…Benthic filter feeders suffer from clogging of their filtering organs when exposed to intense sedimentation (Thrush et al 2004). Recent rapid glacier retreat along the West Antarctic Peninsula (WAP) and, more specifically, around the South Shetland Archipelago (Rückamp et al 2011) caused a rise in sediment deposition rates over the past 60 years (Monien et al 2011).…”

Fish community responses to ecosystem stressors in coastal estuarine wetlands: a functional basis for wetlands management and restoration

“…Most of the region's coastal wetlands have closed to tidal flushing periodically, and sometimes for several months (Zedler 2001). Episodic sedimentation is also a problem in these wetlands (Zedler et al 1992, Zedler 2001, with sediment accretion rates in excess of 1 cm yr -1 at certain sites (Onuf 1987;Callaway and Zedler 2004;Thrush et al 2004;Wallace et al 2005). High sedimentation rates can have profound effects on estuarine biota.…”