Incorporating ecological dynamics into eco-shoreline designs

Abstract

Coastal areas are becoming increasingly dominated by constructed, hardened shorelines globally. As demand for waterfront property increases, natural coastline is replaced by simple, concrete or rock walls. These walls simplify the local ecosystems, reduce diversity, replace nursery grounds of marine organisms, and alter hydrology, sometimes over hundreds to thousands of kilometres. While artificial structures can never fully replicate natural habitats, their functional role in ecosystems can be improved in several ways. Small changes to the materials used to replicate more natural shores (e.g. local rock), reducing the slope and including depressions on walls to better retain water, increasing complexity to create different microhabitats, and having structures which are not in straight lines to improve hydrology, are all methods which can be used to improve designs. Ultimately, an understanding of the local marine ecosystems, and incorporating components into designs, will improve future constructed shorelines.