jncc report no. 585: conceptual ecological modelling of...

JNCC Report No: 585

Conceptual Ecological Modelling of Shallow Sublittoral Sand Habitats to Inform Indicator Selection

Coates, D.A., Alexander, D., Herbert, R.J.H. & Crowley, S.J.

June 2016

© JNCC, Peterborough 2016

0963-8901

List of Appendices Appendix 1. List of Species Included in Project Scope Appendix 2. List of Keywords used as Literature Review Search Terms Appendix 3. Species/Biotope/Model Matrix Appendix 4. General Control Model – Shallow Sublittoral Sand Habitats Appendix 5. Sub-model 1. Suspension and Deposit Feeding Infauna Appendix 6. Sub-model 2. Small Mobile Fauna or Tube/Burrow Dwelling Crustaceans Appendix 7. Sub-model 3. Mobile Epifauna, Predators and Scavengers Appendix 8. Sub-model 4. Attached Epifauna and Macroalgae Appendix 9. Confidence model 1. Suspension and Deposit Feeding Infauna Appendix 10. Confidence model 2. Small Mobile Fauna or Tube/Burrow Dwelling

Crustaceans Appendix 11. Confidence model 3. Mobile Epifauna, Predators and Scavengers Appendix 12. Confidence model 4. Attached Epifauna and Macroalgae Appendix 13. Description of Identified Anthropogenic Pressures Appendix 14. Sublittoral Sand CEM Literature Review and Ancillary Information In addition to the appendices listed, a spreadsheet containing ancillary electronic information supporting the literature review also accompanies this report, as referred to within the main report sections.

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JNCC Report No. 585: Development of Conceptual Ecological Models – Shallow Sublittoral Sand Habitats

Appendix 1 – List of species included in project scope Please see accompanying spreadsheet for full species list and details of how this list was refined. Acrocnida brachiata Abra alba Alcyonidium diaphanum Ammodytes tobianus Ampelisca brevicornis Aonides paucibranchiata Arenicola marina Aricidea cerrutii Asterias rubens Astropecten irregularis Bathyporeia elegans Carcinus maenas Cerianthus lloydii Chaetozone setosa Chamelea gallina Crassicorophium crassicorne Diastylis rathkei Echinocardium cordatum Echinocyamus pusillus Ensis ensis Eudorellopsis deformis Eurydice pulchra Flustra foliacea Gastrosaccus spinifer Glycera lapidum Goniada maculata Hydrallmania falcata Kurtiella bidentata Lanice conchilega Liocarcinus depurator Lumbrineris latreilli Magelona mirabilis Moerella pygmaea Nephtys cirrosa Nucula nitidosa Ophelia borealis Ophiura ophiura Owenia fusiformis Pagurus bernhardus Parexogone hebes Phaxas pellucidus Philine quadripartita Pholoe inornata Polydora ciliata Sabella pavonina

Saccharina latissima Scoloplos armiger Sertularia cupressina Sphaerosyllis bulbosa Spio filicornis Spiophanes bombyx Spisula subtruncata Tellina fabula Thracia phaseolina Travisia forbesii Urothoe elegans Urticina felina

1

JNCC Report No. 585: Development of Conceptual Ecological Models – Shallow Sublittoral Sand Habitats

Appendix 2 – List of keywords used as search terms Amphipod Annelida Annual variation Anoxia Bacteria Benthic Biodeposition Bioengineering Biogeochemical process Bioirrigation Biological driver Biotope Bioturbation Bioturbation Bivalve Brittlestar Burrowing Circalittoral Climate Climate variation Crustacea Currents Currents Deposit feeder Depth Depth range Diatoms Dissolved oxygen Echinodermata Ecology Ecosystem functioning Ecosystem process Ecosystem service Environmental driver Environmental position Epifauna Feeding behaviour Feeding Habits Feeding method Filter feeding Fine sands Food resource Food web Functional group Geology Growth form Habitat provision Habitat stability

Holothuroidea Hydrodynamic flow Hypoxia Infauna Infralittoral Interstitial Lifespan Light attenuation Macrofauna Marine Microbial activity Mobility Muddy sand Natural variability Nitrogen flux Nutrient cycling Nutrient provision Ocean acidification Organic Carbon Organic matter Physical driver Physiographic Phytoplankton Polychaete POM Predator Prey Primary production Response Salinity Sand Sand bank Sand ripples Sand waves Seabed energy Seabed mobility Seasonal variability Secondary production Sediment Sediment dynamics Sediment resuspension Sediment stability Sediment transport Sparse fauna Species trait Species trait Sublittoral Substratum

Subtidal Suspension feeder Suspension feeding Temperature Temporal variability Tidal stress Tolerance Trophic level Troughs Tube dwelling Turbidity Variability Water chemistry Water composition Water flow Wave energy In addition to the search words used above, each of the selected species names were also searched for individually.

Model

Major functional group Predatory Gastropods Macroalgae

Sub functional group

Cra

wle

rs

Oph

iurid

s

Tube

bui

ldin

g Am

phip

ods

Isop

ods

Mys

ids

Pisc

es

Pred

ator

y G

astro

pods

Kelp

Species

Abra

alb

a

Cha

mel

ea g

allin

a

Ensi

s en

sis

Tellin

a fa

bula

Moe

rella

pyg

mae

a

Kurti

ella

bid

enta

ta

Nuc

ula

nitid

osa

Phax

as p

ellu

cidu

s

Spis

ula

subt

runc

ata

Thra

cia

phas

eolin

a

Aoni

des

pauc

ibra

nchi

ata

Aren

icol

a m

arin

a

Cha

etoz

one

seto

sa

Mag

elon

a m

irabi

lis

Oph

elia

bor

ealis

Scol

oplo

s ar

mig

er

Trav

isia

forb

esii

Lani

ce c

onch

ilega

Ow

enia

fusi

form

is

Poly

dora

cilia

ta

Spio

filic

orni

s

Spio

phan

es b

omby

x

Sabe

lla p

avon

ina

Aric

idea

cer

rutii

Acro

cnid

a br

achi

ata

Echi

noca

rdiu

m c

orda

tum

Echi

nocy

amus

pus

illus

Bath

ypor

eia

eleg

ans

Cra

ssic

orop

hium

cra

ssic

orne

Uro

thoe

ele

gans

Ampe

lisca

bre

vico

rnis

Dia

styl

is ra

thke

i

Eudo

rello

psis

def

orm

is

Eury

dice

pul

chra

Gas

trosa

ccus

spi

nife

r

Car

cinu

s m

aena

s

Lioc

arci

nus

depu

rato

r

Pagu

rus

bern

hard

us

Astro

pect

en ir

regu

laris

Aste

rias

rube

ns

Oph

iura

oph

iura

Amm

odyt

es to

bian

us

Gly

cera

lapi

dum

Gon

iada

mac

ulat

a

Lum

brin

eris

latre

illi

Nep

htys

cirr

osa

Spha

eros

yllis

bul

bosa

Para

exeg

one

hebe

s

Phol

oe in

orna

ta

Philin

e qu

adrip

artit

a

Hyd

rallm

ania

falc

ata

Sertu

laria

cup

ress

ina

Flus

tra fo

liace

a

Alcy

onid

ium

dia

phan

um

Urti

cina

felin

a

Cer

iant

hus

lloyd

ii

Sacc

harin

a la

tissi

ma

A5.23 - Infralittoral find sandA5.231 - Infralittoral mobile clean sand with sparse faunaA5.232 - Sertularia cupressina and Hydrallmania falcata on tide-swept sublittoral sand with cobbles or pebblesA5.233 - Nephtys cirrosa and Bathyporeia spp. in infralittoral sand

A5.234 - Semi-permanent tube-building amphipods and polychaetes in sublittoral sand

A5.24 - Infralittoral muddy sandA5.241 - Echinocardium cordatum and Ensis spp. in lower shore and shallow sublittoral slightly muddy fine sandA5.242 - Fabulina fabula and Magelona mirabilis with venerid bivalves and amphipods in infralittoral compacted fine muddy sandA5.243 - Arenicola marina in infralittoral fine sand or muddy sandA5.244 - Spisula subtruncata and Nephtys hombergii in shallow muddy sandA5.25 - Circalittoral fine sandA5.251 - Echinocyamus pusillus, Ophelia borealis and Abra prismatica in circalittoral fine sandA5.252 - Abra prismatica, Bathyporeia elegans and polychaetes in circalittoral fine sandA5.26 - Circalittoral muddy sandA5.261 - Abra alba and Nucula nitidosa in circalittoral muddy sand or slightly mixed sedimentA5.262 - Amphiura brachiata with Astropecten irregularis and other echinoderms in circalittoral muddy sand

Burr

owin

g Bi

valv

es

Bivalves Polcyhaetes Amphipods Small Mobile Crustaceans

Soft-bodied or flexible

epifaunal species

Bryo

zoan

s

Anem

ones

Submodel 2. Small Mobile Fauna and Tube/Burrow Dwelling Crustaceans

Burr

ow d

wel

ling

Tube

bui

ldin

g

Erect, shorter

lived epifau

na

Hyd

rozo

ans

Echinoderms

Cum

acea

ns

Cru

stac

eans

Submodel 3. Mobile Epifauna, Predators and ScavengersSubmodel 1. Suspension and Deposit Feeding Infauna

Echi

node

rms

Submodel 4. Temporary or Permanentely Attached Epifauna and

Macroalgae

Subs

urfa

ce d

wel

ling

Echi

noid

s

Mobile Epifauna, Predators and Scavengers

Cra

wle

rs

Predatory Polychaetes

Burr

ow d

wel

ling

Amph

ipod

s

Burr

ow d

wel

ling

JNCC Report No. 585 Appendix 3. Species Biotope Model Matrix

Shallow Sublittoral Sand

Depth Wave Exposure Water Currents Climate

Water Chemistry & Temperature

1. Regional to Global Drivers

3. Local Processes/Inputs at the Seabed

4. Habitat and Biological Assemblage

5. Output Processes

6. Local Ecosystem Functions

7. Regional to Global Ecosystem Functions

2. Water Column ProcessesSuspended Sediment

Light Attenuation

Sediment Type

Supply of Propagules

Export of Organic Matter Biodiversity EnhancementExport of Biodiversity

Nutrient Cycling

Secondary Production

Seabed Mobility

Geology

Primary Production

Recruitment

Sediment Stability

Sediment processing

Biogeochemical Cycling

Habitat Provision

Habitat modification

Biotope Stability

Propagule Supply

Dissolved Oxygen

Food Sources

Microbial activity

Suspension and deposit feeding

fauna

Benthic infauna

Small mobile fauna and tube/burrow

dwelling crustaceans

Temporary or permanently attached

Epifauna and Macroalgae

Mobile Epifauna, predators and scavengers

Grazing and predation

Food Resource

LegendDriver Relevance to

Infralittoral/CircalittoralLow Relevance Infralittoral

High Relevance Infralittoral

Low Relevance Circalittoral

High Relevance Circalittoral

Low natural variability

Moderate natural variability

High natural variability

Degree of Natural Variability

Feedback

PositiveInteractionNegativeInteraction

Driving Influence

Version 1.0

Please see accompanying report for model restrictions and

limitations

JNCC Report No. 585 Appendix 4. General Control Model - Shallow Sublittoral Sand Habitats

Sub‐model 1. Suspension and deposit feeding infauna






5. Output Processes




Light Attenuation

Bivalves

Sublittoral Sand

Food Resource



Nutrient Cycling


Seabed Mobility

Geology

Primary Production

Recruitment

Sediment Stability

Biodeposition Bioengineering

Biogeochemical Cycling Habitat Provision

Bioturbation

Plankton

Food sources

Biotope Stability

Propagule Supply

Version 1.0 Please see accompanying report

for model restrictions and limitations

PositiveInteraction

NegativeInteraction

Feedback

Small

Medium

Large

Magnitude of Influence

Legend

Driver Relevance to Infralittoral/Circalittoral

Low Relevance Infralittoral








Driving Influence

Burrowing Bivalves, e.g. Abra alba, Ensis ensis, Kurtiella bidentata, Phaxas pellucidus

Dissolved Oxygen

POM Detritus

Microbial activity Enhancement

Polychaetes Echinoderms

Burrow dwelling, e.g. Arenicola marina, Magelona mirabilis, Scoloplos armiger

Tube building, e.g. Lanice conchilega, Owenia fusiformis, Spiophanes bombyx

Crawlers, e.g. Aricidea cerrutii

Ophiurids, e.g. Acrocnida brachiata

Subsurface dwelling, e.g. Echinocardium

cordatum, Echinocyamus pusillus

Bacteria & Fungi

Meio fauna

JNCC Report No. 585 Appendix 5.

Sub‐model 2. Small Mobile Fauna and Tube/Burrow Dwelling Crustaceans






5. Output Processes



2. Water Column Processes Suspended Sediment

Light Attenuation

Amphipods

Sublittoral Sand

Food Resource



Nutrient Cycling


Seabed Mobility

Geology

Primary Production

Recruitment

Sediment Stability



Bioturbation

Micro algae

Food sources

Biotope Stability

Propagule Supply

Version 1.0 Please see accompanying report


PositiveInteraction

NegativeInteraction

Feedback

Small

Medium

Large


Legend










Driving Influence

Dissolved Oxygen

DetritusSmall

Invertebrates


Tube building, e.g. Ampelisca brevicornis

Cumaceans, e.g. Diastylis rathkei,

Eudorellopsis deformis

Isopods, e.g. Eurydice pulchra

Mysids, e.g. Gastrosaccus spinifer

Burrow dwelling, e.g. Crassicorophium

crassicorne, Urothoe elegans

Small Mobile Crustaceans

POMMicro

organisms


Sub‐model 3. Mobile Epifauna, Predators and Scavengers






5. Output Processes




Light Attenuation

Mobile Epifauna, Predators and Scavengers

Sublittoral Sand

Food Resource



Nutrient Cycling


Seabed Mobility

Geology

Primary Production

Recruitment

Sediment Stability



Bioturbation

CarrionLiving Prey

Food sources

Biotope Stability

Propagule Supply

Version 1.0Please see accompanying report


PositiveInteraction

NegativeInteraction

Feedback

Small

Medium

Large


Legend










Driving Influence

Dissolved Oxygen

Phyto‐benthos

POM

Population Control

Echinoderms; Asterias rubens, Ophiura

ophiura, Astropecten irregularis

Pisces, e.g. Ammodytes tobianus

Burrow dwelling, e.g. Glycera lapidum, Nephtys cirrosa,

Lumbrineris latreilli

Crawlers, e.g. Paraexegone hebes, Pholoe inornata

Crustaceans, e.g. Carcinus maenas,

Pagurus bernhardus


Plankton Detritus

Predatory Gastropods

Crawlers, e.g. Philine

quadripartita


Sub‐model 4. Attached Epifauna and Macroalgae






5. Output Processes



2. Water Column Processes Suspended Sediment

Light Attenuation

Erect, shorter lived Epifauna

Sublittoral Sand

Food Resource



Nutrient Cycling


Seabed Mobility

Geology

Primary Production

Recruitment

Sediment Stability


Habitat Provision

POMPlankton

Food sources

Biotope Stability

Propagule Supply

Version 1.0Please see accompanying report


PositiveInteraction

NegativeInteraction

Feedback

Small

Medium

Large


Legend










Driving Influence

Dissolved Oxygen

Detritus Living Prey

Biogeochemical cycling

Bryozoans, e.g. Flustra foliacea, Alcyonidium

diaphanum

Anemones, e.g. Urticina felina, Cerianthus lloydii

Kelp, e.g. Saccharina latissima

Hydrozoans, e.g. Hydrallmania falcata, Sertularia cupressina

Soft‐bodied Epifauna Macroalgae



Sub‐model 1. Suspension and deposit feeding infauna ‐ CONFIDENCE






5. Output Processes




Light Attenuation

Bivalves

Sublittoral Sand

Food Resource



Nutrient Cycling


Seabed Mobility

Geology

Primary Production

Recruitment

Sediment Stability



Bioturbation

Plankton

Food sources

Biotope Stability

Propagule Supply

Burrowing Bivalves, e.g. Abra alba, Ensis ensis, Kurtiella bidentata, Phaxas pellucidus

Dissolved Oxygen

POM Detritus


Polychaetes Echinoderms

Burrow dwelling, e.g. Arenicola marina, Magelona mirabilis, Scoloplos armiger

Tube building, e.g. Lanice conchilega, Owenia fusiformis, Spiophanes bombyx

Crawlers, e.g. Aricidea cerrutii

Ophiurids, e.g. Acrocnida brachiata

Subsurface dwelling, e.g. Echinocardium

cordatum, Echinocyamus pusillus

Bacteria & Fungi

Meio fauna

Low confidence

Medium confidence

High confidence

Legend

Link informed by Literature Review

Link informed by Expert Opinion *

Version 1.0


limitations

* Links informed by Expert Opinion do not exceed the Medium Confidence level.


Sub‐model 2. Small Mobile Fauna and Tube/Burrow Dwelling Crustaceans






5. Output Processes




Light Attenuation

Amphipods

Sublittoral Sand

Food Resource



Nutrient Cycling


Seabed Mobility

Geology

Primary Production

Recruitment

Sediment Stability



Bioturbation

Micro algae

Food sources

Biotope Stability

Propagule Supply

Dissolved Oxygen

Detritus Small Invertebrates


Tube building, e.g. Ampelisca brevicornis

Cumaceans, e.g. Diastylis rathkei,

Eudorellopsis deformis

Isopods, e.g. Eurydice pulchra

Mysids, e.g. Gastrosaccus spinifer

Burrow dwelling, e.g. Crassicorophium

crassicorne, Urothoe elegans

Small Mobile Crustaceans

POMMicro

organisms

Low confidence

Medium confidence

High confidence

Legend



Version 1.0


limitations



Sub‐model 3. Mobile Epifauna, Predators and Scavengers






5. Output Processes




Light Attenuation

Mobile Epifauna, Predators and ScavengersSublittoral Sand

Food Resource



Nutrient Cycling


Seabed Mobility

Geology

Primary Production

Recruitment

Sediment Stability



Bioturbation

CarrionLiving Prey

Food sources

Biotope Stability

Propagule Supply

Dissolved Oxygen

Phyto‐benthos POM

Population Control

Echinoderms; Asterias rubens, Ophiura

ophiura, Astropecten irregularis

Pisces, e.g. Ammodytes tobianus

Burrow dwelling, e.g. Glycera lapidum, Nephtys cirrosa,

Lumbrineris latreilli

Crawlers, e.g. Paraexegone hebes, Pholoe inornata

Crustaceans, e.g. Carcinus maenas,

Pagurus bernhardus


Plankton Detritus

Low confidence

Medium confidence

High confidence

Legend



Version 1.0


limitations


Predatory Gastropods

Crawlers, e.g. Philine

quadripartita


Sub‐model 4. Attached Epifauna and Macroalgae ‐ CONFIDENCE






5. Output Processes




Light Attenuation

Erect, shorter lived Epifauna

Sublittoral Sand

Food Resource



Nutrient Cycling


Seabed Mobility

Geology

Primary Production

Recruitment

Sediment Stability


Habitat Provision

POMPlankton

Food sources

Biotope Stability

Propagule Supply

Dissolved Oxygen

Detritus Living Prey

Biogeochemical cycling

Bryozoans, e.g. Flustra foliacea, Alcyonidium

diaphanum

Anemones, e.g. Urticina felina, Cerianthus lloydii

Kelp, e.g. Saccharina latissima

Hydrozoans, e.g. Hydrallmania falcata, Sertularia cupressina

Soft‐bodied Epifauna Macroalgae

Low confidence

Medium confidence

High confidence

Legend



Version 1.0


limitations




Appendix 13 – Pressure descriptions List of anthropogenic pressures relevant to shallow sublittoral sand habitats. Pressures and descriptions are taken from the Intercessional Correspondence Group on Cumulative Effects (ICG-C).

Pressure theme Pressure Description

Benchmark (Tillin et al, 2010)

Biological pressures

Removal of non-target species

By-catch associated with all fishing activities. The physical effects of fishing gear on sea bed communities are addressed by the "abrasion" pressure type so this addresses the direct removal of individuals associated with fishing/ harvesting. Ecological consequences include food web dependencies, population dynamics of fish, marine mammals, turtles and sea birds (including survival threats in extreme cases, e.g. Harbour Porpoise in Central and Eastern Baltic).

Removal of features through pursuit of a target fishery at a commercial scale

Physical damage (Reversible Change)

Changes in suspended solids (water clarity)

Changes in water clarity from sediment & organic particulate matter concentrations. It is related to activities disturbing sediment and/or organic particulate matter and mobilising it into the water column. Could be 'natural' land run-off and riverine discharges or from anthropogenic activities such as all forms of dredging, disposal at sea, cable and pipeline burial, secondary effects of construction works, e.g. breakwaters. Particle size, hydrological energy (current speed & direction) and tidal excursion are all influencing factors on the spatial extent and temporal duration. This pressure also relates to changes in turbidity from suspended solids of organic origin (as such it excludes sediments - see the "changes in suspended sediment" pressure type). Salinity, turbulence, pH and temperature may result in flocculation of suspended organic matter. Anthropogenic sources mostly short lived and over relatively small spatial extents.

A change in one rank on the WFD (Water Framework Directive) scale e.g. from clear to turbid for one year


Abrasion/disturbance of the substrate on the surface of the seabed

The disturbance of sediments where there is limited or no loss of substrate from the system. This pressure is associated with activities such as anchoring, taking of sediment/geological cores, cone penetration tests, cable burial (ploughing or jetting), propeller wash from vessels, certain fishing activities, e.g. scallop dredging, beam trawling. Agitation dredging, where sediments are deliberately disturbed by and by gravity & hydraulic dredging where sediments are deliberately disturbed and moved by currents could also be associated with this pressure type. Compression of sediments, e.g. from the legs of a jack-up barge could also fit into this pressure type. Abrasion relates to the damage of the sea bed surface layers (typically up to 50cm depth). Activities associated with abrasion can cover relatively large spatial areas and include: fishing with towed demersal trawls (fish & shellfish); bio-prospecting such as harvesting of biogenic features such as maerl beds where, after extraction, conditions for recolonisation remain suitable or relatively localised activities including: seaweed harvesting, recreation, potting, aquaculture. Change from gravel to silt substrate would adversely affect herring spawning grounds.

Damage to seabed surface features

Physical damage (Reversible

Habitat structure changes -

Unlike the "physical change" pressure type where there is a permanent change in sea bed type (e.g. sand to gravel, sediment to a hard artificial substrate) the

Extraction of sediment to 30cm

JNCC Report No. 585

Change) removal of substratum (extraction)

"habitat structure change" pressure type relates to temporary and/or reversible change, e.g. from marine mineral extraction where a proportion of seabed sands or gravels are removed but a residual layer of seabed is similar to the pre-dredge structure and as such biological communities could re-colonise; navigation dredging to maintain channels where the silts or sands removed are replaced by non-anthropogenic mechanisms so the sediment typology is not changed.


Siltation rate changes, including smothering (depth of vertical sediment overburden)

When the natural rates of siltation are altered (increased or decreased). Siltation (or sedimentation) is the settling out of silt/sediments suspended in the water column. Activities associated with this pressure type include mariculture, land claim, navigation dredging, disposal at sea, marine mineral extraction, cable and pipeline laying and various construction activities. It can result in short lived sediment concentration gradients and the accumulation of sediments on the sea floor. This accumulation of sediments is synonymous with "light" smothering, which relates to the depth of vertical overburden. “Light” smothering relates to the deposition of layers of sediment on the seabed. It is associated with activities such as sea disposal of dredged materials where sediments are deliberately deposited on the sea bed. For “light” smothering most benthic biota may be able to adapt, i.e. vertically migrate through the deposited sediment. “Heavy” smothering also relates to the deposition of layers of sediment on the seabed but is associated with activities such as sea disposal of dredged materials where sediments are deliberately deposited on the sea bed. This accumulation of sediments relates to the depth of vertical overburden where the sediment type of the existing and deposited sediment has similar physical characteristics because, although most species of marine biota are unable to adapt, e.g. sessile organisms unable to make their way to the surface, a similar biota could, with time, re-establish.

up to 30cm of fine material added to the seabed in a single event

Physical loss (Permanent Change)

Physical change (to another seabed type)

The permanent change of one marine habitat type to another marine habitat type, through the change in substatum, including to artificial (e.g. concrete). This therefore involves the permanent loss of one marine habitat type but has an equal creation of a different marine habitat type. Associated activities include the installation of infrastructure (e.g. surface of platforms or wind farm foundations, marinas, coastal defences, pipelines and cables), the placement of scour protection where soft sediment habitats are replaced by hard/coarse substrate habitats, removal of coarse substrate (marine mineral extraction) in those instances where surficial finer sediments are lost, capital dredging where the residual sedimentary habitat differs structurally from the pre-dredge state, creation of artificial reefs, mariculture i.e. mussel beds. Protection of pipes and cables using rock dumping and mattressing techniques. Placement of cuttings piles from oil & gas activities could fit this pressure type, however, there may be an additional pressures, e.g. "pollution and other chemical changes" theme. This pressure excludes

Permanent loss of existing saline habitat

JNCC Report No. 585

navigation dredging where the depth of sediment is changes locally but the sediment typology is not changed.

Pollution and other chemical changes

Nutrient enrichment

Increased levels of the elements nitrogen, phosphorus, silicon (and iron) in the marine environment compared to background concentrations. Nutrients can enter marine waters by natural processes (e.g. decomposition of detritus, riverine, direct and atmospheric inputs) or anthropogenic sources (e.g. waste water runoff, terrestrial/agricultural runoff, sewage discharges, aquaculture, atmospheric deposition). Nutrients can also enter marine regions from ‘upstream’ locations, e.g. via tidal currents to induce enrichment in the receiving area. Nutrient enrichment may lead to eutrophication (see also organic enrichment). Adverse environmental effects include deoxygenation, algal blooms, changes in community structure of benthos and macrophytes.

Compliance with WFD criteria for good status

Pollution and other chemical changes

Organic enrichment

Resulting from the degraded remains of dead biota & microbiota (land & sea); faecal matter from marine animals; flocculated colloidal organic matter and the degraded remains of: sewage material, domestic wastes, industrial wastes etc. Organic matter can enter marine waters from sewage discharges, aquaculture or terrestrial/agricultural runoff. Black carbon comes from the products of incomplete combustion (PIC) of fossil fuels and vegetation. Organic enrichment may lead to eutrophication (see also nutrient enrichment). Adverse environmental effects include deoxygenation, algal blooms, changes in community structure of benthos and macrophytes.

A deposit of 100gC/m2/yr

JNCC Report No. 585

JNCC Report No.585: Conceptual Ecological Modelling of Shallow Sublittoral Sand Habitats to InformIndicator SelectionList of AppendicesAppendix 1 – List of species included in project scopeAppendix 2 – List of keywords used as search termsAppendix 3. Species Biotope Model MatrixAppendix 4. General Control Model - Shallow Sublittoral Sand HabitatsAppendix 5. Sub-model 1. Suspension and deposit feeding infaunaAppendix 6. Sub-model 2. Small Mobile Fauna and Tube/Burrow Dwelling CrustaceansAppendix 7. Sub‐model 3. Mobile Epifauna, Predators and ScavengersAppendix 8. Sub‐model 4. Attached Epifauna and MacroalgaeAppendix 9. Sub‐model 1. Suspension and deposit feeding infauna ‐ CONFIDENCEAppendix 10. Sub‐model 2. Small Mobile Fauna and Tube/Burrow Dwelling CrustaceansAppendix 11. Sub‐model 3. Mobile Epifauna, Predators and ScavengersAppendix 12. Sub‐model 4. Attached Epifauna and Macroalgae ‐ CONFIDENCEAppendix 13 – Pressure descriptions

jncc report no. 585: conceptual ecological modelling of...

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