Recreational boating degrades vegetation important for fish recruitment

Hansen, Joakim P.Stockholms universitet,Stockholms universitets Östersjöcentrum (författare)

Recreational boating increases globally and associated moorings are often placed in vegetated habitats important for fish recruitment. Meanwhile, assessments of the effects of boating on vegetation, and potential effects on associated fish assemblages are rare. Here, we analysed (i) the effect of small-boat marinas on vegetation structure, and (ii) juvenile fish abundance in relation to vegetation cover in shallow wave-sheltered coastal inlets. We found marinas to have lower vegetation cover and height, and a different species composition, compared to control inlets. This effect became stronger with increasing berth density. Moreover, there was a clear positive relationship between vegetation cover and fish abundance. We conclude that recreational boating and related moorings are associated with reduced cover of aquatic vegetation constituting important habitats for juvenile fish. We therefore recommend that coastal constructions and associated boating should be allocated to more disturbance tolerant environments (e.g. naturally wave-exposed shores), thereby minimizing negative environmental impacts.

Sundblad, GöranSwedish University of Agricultural Sciences,Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet,Institutionen för akvatiska resurser,Department of Aquatic Resources,AquaBiota Water Research (författare)
Bergström, UlfSwedish University of Agricultural Sciences,Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet,Institutionen för akvatiska resurser,Department of Aquatic Resources(Swepub:slu)50486 (författare)
Austin, Åsa N.,1988-Stockholms universitet,Institutionen för ekologi, miljö och botanik(Swepub:su)asni7959 (författare)
Donadi, SerenaSwedish University of Agricultural Sciences,Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet,Institutionen för akvatiska resurser,Department of Aquatic Resources,Stockholm University(Swepub:su)sdona (författare)
Eriksson, Britas Klemens (författare)
Eklöf, Johan S.Stockholms universitet,Institutionen för ekologi, miljö och botanik(Swepub:su)jekl (författare)
Stockholms universitetStockholms universitets Östersjöcentrum (creator_code:org_t)
Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet

Ingår i:Ambio: Springer Science and Business Media LLC48:6, s. 539-5510044-74471654-7209

Av författaren/redakt...: Hansen, Joakim P ...; Sundblad, Göran; Bergström, Ulf; Austin, Åsa N., ...; Donadi, Serena; Eriksson, Britas ...; visa fler...; Eklöf, Johan S.; visa färre...

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