Measuring the effects of suspended particulate matter and smothering on the behaviour, growth and survival of key species found in areas associated with aggregate dredging
- Reference:
- 08/P76
- Organisation:
- Scottish Association for Marine Science (with PDRA)
- Amount Funded:
- £139,884
- Status:
- Current
Many benthic aquatic organisms rely on the suspension of
particulate matter for food and / or for building materials, yet
the water currents and associated sediment dynamics which provide
the ideal environment for these animals can be disrupted by
anthropogenic processes. Aggregate dredging and associated
screening, for example, generate significant amounts of suspended
particulate material (SPM) which can result in smothering of
habitats and / or an alteration of the SPM composition which
supplies those habitats. Using specially designed aquaria SPM
conditions typical of dredging activities can be simulated allowing
us to measure changes in behaviour, growth and survival of key
benthic species commonly found within the sphere of influence of
marine dredging sites, specifically: the Ross worm (Sabellaria
spinulosa); mussel (Mytilus edulis); scallop
(Pecten maximus) and brown crab (Cancer pagurus).
Additionally smothering tolerances will be determined for the
edible sea urchin (Echinus esculentus), common brittle
star (Ophiothrix fragilis), the sea anemone
(Sagartiogeton laceratus) and sea squirt (Ciona
intestinalis). These data can then be used to inform
mitigation measures for the sustainable extraction of aggregates
and may also be fed into environmental impact models that allow
predictions of cumulative impact of dredging activities.