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The Loss of Natural Habitats and the Addition of Artificial Substrata

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Marine Hard Bottom Communities

Part of the book series: Ecological Studies ((ECOLSTUD,volume 206))

Abstract

We report some key examples about the past and current losses of hard-bottom habitats, particularly those of biogenic origin, such as macroalgal forests and shellfish reefs. These changes have been globally or locally driven, and have resulted from natural but especially from anthropogenic agents of environmental change and overexploitation. Of all hard-bottom habitats, shellfish reefs are probably one of the most globally impacted, as shown by the case history of the native oyster reefs in Europe and by analogous examples in the USA and Australia. We also discuss threats related to the addition of artificial hard or rock-armoured substrata as a consequence of coastal urbanization. Finally, we point out how much change and loss have already passed unrecognized, and recommend greater effort in the conservation and restoration of what remains of valuable natural hard-bottom habitats.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    Material in this section is largely from Airoldi and Beck (2007)

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Acknowledgements

We thank M. Wahl for the invitation to write this chapter. Work was supported by funding from Bologna University (Strategic Project ADRIABIO and Marco Polo Grant) to LA, funding from The Nature Conservancy to MWB, and funding from a QEII Fellowship to SDC. We are grateful to all the colleagues who provided their photographs.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dipartimento di Biologia Evoluzionistica Sperimentale and Centro Interdipartimentale di Ricerca per le Scienze Ambientali, Università di Bologna, Via S. Alberto 163, 48100, Ravenna, Italy

    Laura Airoldi

  2. Southern Seas Ecology Laboratories, DP 418, University of Adelaide, 5005, Adelaide, SA, Australia

    Sean D. Connell

  3. The Nature Conservancy and Institute of Marine Sciences, University of California, 100 Shaffer Road-LML, 95060, Santa Cruz, CA, USA

    Michael W. Beck

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  1. Laura Airoldi
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  2. Sean D. Connell
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  3. Michael W. Beck
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Correspondence to Laura Airoldi .

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    Airoldi, L., Connell, S.D., Beck, M.W. (2009). The Loss of Natural Habitats and the Addition of Artificial Substrata. In: Wahl, M. (eds) Marine Hard Bottom Communities. Ecological Studies, vol 206. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/b76710_19

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