Effects of Shoreline Modifications on Supratidal Macroinvertebrate Fauna on Puget Sound, Washington Beaches

• Published in: Estuaries and coasts Vol. 33; no. 3; pp. 699 - 711
• Main Authors: Sobocinski, Kathryn L., Cordell, Jeffery R., Simenstad, Charles A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Spring Science + Business Media 01-05-2010; Springer-Verlag; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Animal and plant ecology; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Anthropogenic factors; Aquatic habitats; Armoring; Beaches; Biological and medical sciences; Biota; Brackish water ecosystems; Coastal environments; Coastal Sciences; Coasts; Crustaceans; Earth and Environmental Science; Ecology; Environment; Environmental impact; Environmental Management; Estuaries; Freshwater & Marine Ecology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Human influences; Insects; Invertebrates; Macroinvertebrates; Marine; Marine ecosystems; Nematoda; Oligochaeta; Salmon; Shellfish; Shorelines; Synecology; Taxa; Terrestrial ecosystems; Vegetation; Water and Health; Wildlife; Wildlife conservation; United States; North America; Washington; America; Puget Sound; USA, Washington, Puget Sound; INE, USA, Washington, Puget Sound; Coastal development; Puget Sound; Beaches; Shoreline modifications; Supratidal; Macroinvertebrates; Brackish water environment; Modification; Fauna; Estuaries; Invertebrata
• ISSN: 1559-2723; 1559-2731
• DOI: 10.1007/s12237-009-9262-9

In coastal environments, the supratidal zone bridges marine and terrestrial ecosystems and is important for energy exchange. However, it is also subject to extensive anthropogenic disturbance, such as armoring of shorelines. Shoreline armoring is extensive along many coasts, but the impacts on biota are comparatively unknown. Between 2000 and 2002, paired and synoptic sampling regimes were employed to assess armoring effects on insects and benthic macroinvertebrates in the supratidal zone of Puget Sound beaches. Paired sampling showed natural beach sites had significantly more deposited wrack. Infauna was dominated by oligochaetes and nematodes; talitrid amphipods, insects, and collembolans were significantly more numerous at natural beaches, and crustaceans were more abundant at altered beaches. Insect assemblages were diverse, with taxon richness higher at natural beach sites. In the synoptic sampling, where sites with higher elevation modifications were used, there were fewer differences in invertebrate assemblages between armored and nonarmored sites. The results show that, where shoreline armoring lowers the land-sea interface, benthic infauna and insect assemblages are disrupted. Widespread shoreline modifications may decrease the availability of prey resources for fish and wildlife and decrease the contribution of organic material entering the nearshore ecosystem.