Shoreline and Ecosystem
Shoreline protection, ecosystem conservation and recovery are important to climate change adaptation strategies. In our coastal areas, the health of our ecosystems is tightly correlated with aquaculture and Biosecurity [1]. Facing rising sea levels and stronger gustily seas due to climate change is a major task to protect our shoreline against increased sea levels and erosion. In New Zealand, the one major "go-to" method for securing shorelines is the construction of Sea Walls. However, these Sea Walls can negatively impact ecosystems, biodiversity, and tourism [2]–[4].
A healthy ecosystem and stable biodiversity are important for the fishery industry and eco-tourism. Therefore, there is a need for more inclusive and sustainable approaches to coastline protection. Various countries have successfully established artificial and biogenic reefs to secure ecosystems and shorelines. Additionally, in recent years, Sea Walls' design evolved into more complex structures that can better harbour various sessile and mobile species.
It is time that New Zealand, with one of the largest coastlines in relation to its landmass, will catch up with other countries in coastal protection. By promoting collaboration between coastal engineers and marine biologists and supporting research into this area, New Zealand could lead in sustainable coastal protection, ecosystem resilience and recovery. Ocean Wolf provides fresh approaches to shoreline protection and ecosystem management by helping to develop, connecting the right partners and envisioning projects like "living Seawalls" and artificial and biogenic reefs to reduce erosion and reclaim the ecosystem and their function [5], [6].
Further, identifying, protecting, and seeding biogenic habitats will preserve our environment, protect our shorelines, and favour tourism and fisheries. Ocean Wolf is here to help, provide the right tools and connect New Zealand to science for a better future.
Small reefs of Spirobranchus cariniferus are everywhere at Porirua Harbour. These reefs provide refuge to many other marine organisms, including Crabs and juvenile Eels.
The worms building these reefs can filter the water efficiently while having a high tolerance to environmental stressors.
Ecosystem engineers like Spirobranchus cariniferus can form reefs on almost any substrate like here on a tyre at the
Porirua harbour.
“Standard” seawall at Wellingtons southern shorline,
removing habitat for native species while potentially providing recruitment space for non-native species.
Like here in Invercargill (2019), Paul was participating in
NZ Coastal Society conferences, discussing a variety of approaches for shoreline protection like “living Seawalls”, “Econcrete”, and flower pots.
If you want to know more about opportunities in shoreline protection and efforts worldwide, contact us or follow Ocean Wolf’s founder on LinkedIn.
Photo Credit: NZ Coastal Society
An untouched environment like the shoreline of the Kindo peninsula (Russia) could function as a model for the design of “soft-approach” shoreline protection.
Rough sea at Icelands shoreline (near Malarrif Lighthouse) displaying its force. With climate change, we will experience more volatile seas; therefore, New Zealand must seriously consider its shoreline armoring.
In-text references:
[1] K. A. Dafforn, “Eco-engineering and management strategies for marine infrastructure to reduce establishment and dispersal of non-indigenous species,” Manag. Biol. Invasions, vol. 8, no. 2, pp. 153–161, 2017, doi: 10.3391/mbi.2017.8.2.03.
[2] F. Bulleri and M. G. Chapman, “The introduction of coastal infrastructure as a driver of change in marine environments,”
J. Appl. Ecol., vol. 47, no. 1, pp. 26–35, 2010, doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2664.2009.01751.x.
[3] S. Y. Chee et al., “Habitat Complexity Affects the Structure but Not the Diversity of Sessile Communities on Tropical Coastal Infrastructure,” Front. Ecol. Evol., vol. 9, no. October, pp. 1–15, 2021, doi: 10.3389/fevo.2021.673227.
[4] N. W. Y. Lam, R. Huang, and B. K. K. Chan, “Variations in intertidal assemblages and zonation patterns between vertical artificial seawalls and natural rocky shores: A case study from Victoria Harbour, Hong Kong,” Zool. Stud., vol. 48, no. 2, pp. 184–195, 2009.
[5] K. Dyson and K. Yocom, “Ecological design for urban waterfronts,” Urban Ecosyst., vol. 18, no. 1, pp. 189–208, 2015, doi: 10.1007/s11252-014-0385-9.
[6] W. Seaman, “Artificial habitats and the restoration of degraded marine ecosystems and fisheries,” Hydrobiologia, vol. 580, no. 1, pp. 143–155, 2007, doi: 10.1007/s10750-006-0457-9.