Incorporating rock pools in coastal infrastructure, an eco-engineered approach to enhance biodiversity
Shirin Saeid A , Ali Nasrolahi
A * and Amin Afzali A
A
Abstract
Driven by growing human populations and climate change-mitigation concerns, artificial coastal structures have become crucial for meeting population needs. However, these structures differ from natural counterparts and can reduce biodiversity and species abundance.
This study aimed to use rock pools as an eco-engineering approach to mitigate these negative effects and enhance species diversity on coastal infrastructure.
We incorporated rock pools of two different sizes into three distinct intertidal levels within a concrete-block breakwater at the Strait of Hormuz, Persian Gulf, and conducted an in situ assessment of the biota in rock pools and their adjacent emergent surfaces.
In total, 17 taxa were identified. The findings showed a five-fold increase in cumulative species number and a 30% rise in abundance owing to the presence of rock pools. PERMANOVA results indicated that rock pool size, intertidal levels, and their interaction, significantly influenced species richness.
Our investigation underscores the effectiveness of integrating rock pools as an ecological engineering approach to enrich species diversity on human-made structures within intertidal zones.
The selection of rock pool dimensions and tidal positioning should be thoughtfully determined, considering the prevailing environmental conditions and the project’s objectives.
Keywords: artificial rock pool, biodiversity, eco-engineering, intertidal infrastructure, mitigation approach, Persian Gulf, species richness, water-retaining features.
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