Recolonization and recovery dynamics of the macrozoobenthos after sand extraction in relict sand bottoms of the Northern Adriatic Sea

The long-term effects of sand extraction on macrozoobenthic communities were investigated in an offshore area in the Northern Adriatic Sea characterised by relict sands formed during the last Adriatic post-glacial transgression. Surveys were carried out before, during and 1, 6, 12, 18, 24 and 30 months after extraction at three impacted and seven reference stations. The operations did not influence the physical characteristics of the sediment, but they caused almost complete defaunation at dredged sites. Univariate and multivariate analyses highlighted that the macrozoobenthic community responses to the dredging operations were (1) a rapid initial recolonisation phase by the dominant taxa present before dredging, which took place 6–12 months after sand extraction; (2) a slower recovery phase, that ended 30 months after the operations, when the composition and structure of the communities were similar in the dredged and reference areas. This pattern of recolonisation–recovery fits well with the commonly encountered scenario where the substratum merely remains unchanged after marine aggregate extraction.     

Relict sand dredging for beach nourishment in the central Tyrrhenian Sea (Italy): effects on benthic assemblages

The aim of this study is to analyse the effects in space and time of relict sand-dredging activities on macrobenthic assemblages, in an area situated offshore Montalto di Castro (central Tyrrhenian Sea, Italy), and to analyse the recolonisation processes of macrobenthos in the dredged areas. The area in question is characterised by relict sand deposits (Holocenic paleo-beaches), used for beach nourishment along the Latium coast. The effects of sand extraction on benthic assemblages were investigated before, during and after three dredging operations. The sites analysed are located within the dredged areas (inside stations) and in neighbouring, not dredged, areas (outside stations). The results showed that the impact of sand extraction was confined to the dredged stations and to the areas in proximity to the dredged areas. During dredging activities, the structure of benthic assemblages within the impacted stations was characterised by low species richness and diversity. Both the direct removal of sediment and the re-suspension and consequent deposition of fine sediment affected benthic assemblages of the impacted stations. A few months after the dredgings, a recolonisation process was still observed at all the impacted stations. A gradual recolonisation process was observed at those stations affected by only one dredging, whereas a different recolonisation was observed at those stations affected by two dredgings over time. This study suggests that differences of re-colonisation processes of benthic assemblages are related to the intensity of dredging operations in terms of dredging frequency.     

Short-Term Benthic Recolonization after Dredging in the Harbour of Ceuta, North Africa

Abstract. The benthic recovery after dredging (area: 2625 m²) was studied in a polluted and enclosed area of the harbour of Ceuta, in which the recolonization through the water column (larvae and adult bedload transport) could be limited by the lack of renewal. The benthos was sampled at two sites (control and dredged) using a van Veen grab and adopting a BACI (Before, After, Control, Impacted) approach. Five samplings were conducted after dredging (3, 15, 30, 90, 180 days). The proportion of gravel in the sediment of the dredged site increased after dredging, while the organic matter decreased. The impact on the community was estimated at species level, using both univariate and multivariate analyses. The maximum negative effect on benthic macrofauna was a reduction by 65% for species richness (15 days after dredging) and by 75% for abundance (3 days after dredging). Between 15 and 30 days after dredging, the abundance of some species such as the molluscs Parvicardium exiguum and Retusa obtusa and the polychaete Pseudomalacoceros tridentata increased considerably in the dredged site, while typical ‘opportunistic’ species such as Capitella capitata were disfavoured by the disturbance. For this small‐scale dredging, about 6 months are required for the disturbed area to re‐establish a sediment structure and a macrobenthic community similar to the undisturbed area. Small‐patch dredging operations are proposed in harbour management whenever possible, since they allow a quick re‐adjustment of the initial sediment structure and benthic communities.     

Recolonization patterns of benthic assemblages after relict sand dredging in the central Tyrrhenian sea

Recolonization patterns of benthic assemblages after relict sand dredging were investigated in an area offshore of Capo d’Anzio (central Tyrrhenian Sea). Surveys were performed before, during, and after dredging in 2007. Sampling stations were located within and outside the dredging site in water depths between 40 and 56 m. Defaunation due to sand extraction was the main impact observed in the inner stations and in stations located in proximity of the dredging site. At the inner stations, 9 months after dredging, a significant increase in species richness and diversity was observed: the sediment removal led to an increase of the sandy sediment fraction, favouring the settlement of sabulicolous species. A decrease in number of individuals and species was also observed in most of the outer stations, probably due to fine sediment redeposition. Recolonization of macrobenthic assemblages was essentially achieved at inner stations both in terms of abundance and species richness, while at outer stations it was still in progress. Results of this study, providing a picture of recovery times and processes in the Tyrrhenian Sea, could be used to develop predictions of the effects of future offshore sand dredging projects in comparable areas. Monitoring programs and research have a key role to provide a more detailed overview of biological recovery processes and times in different regions and with different dredging intensity.     

Impacts of maintenance channel dredging in a northern Adriatic coastal lagoon. II: Effects on macrobenthic assemblages in channels and ponds

Coastal lagoons are ephemeral habitats whose conservation requires human intervention, such as maintenance dredging of inner channels. Dredging can reduce the abundance of benthic species due to the removal of individuals with the sediment, modify sediment properties, and resuspend fine sediment, nutrients and pollutants, which can lead to eutrophication, hypoxic events and increasing toxicity. Both direct effects in the dredged channel and possible indirect effects in surrounding shallow areas could be expected. This study assesses the effects of the channel maintenance dredging, performed between October 2004 and August 2005, on the invertebrate assemblages both in channels and adjacent ponds in the northern Adriatic coastal lagoon of Pialassa Baiona. The lagoon is affected by eutrophication, chemical and thermal pollution from wastewater treatment and power plants. Three impacted sites were located in the dredged channel and three in the adjacent interconnected shallow water ponds, while three non-impacted sites were located in a channel and in a pond far from the dredged area. Replicate samples were collected from each site one time before and one time after the dredging operations. Despite the extent of the intervention, effects of the dredging on macrobenthic assemblages were detected only within the dredged channel, while in the surrounding ponds no clear and unequivocal effects were found. In particular the dredging could have promoted the increase of the abundance of the polychaete Streblospio shrubsolii in the southern and central parts of the dredged channel and the increase in abundance of the amphipod Corophium insidiosum in the northern side, compared to the controls. Instead, species diversity was reduced in the central and northern parts of the dredged channel. These effects on the macrobenthic invertebrate assemblages could be related to the observed changes of sediment characteristics, contamination and toxicity. Overall, direct effects on benthic assemblages in the dredged channels were more detectable than the possible secondary effects in the surrounding shallow ponds, where the higher spatial heterogeneity can mask any relevant effects.     

Recovery of the seabed following marine aggregate dredging on the Hastings Shingle Bank off the southeast coast of England

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of dredging intensity on the physical and biological recovery times of the seabed following marine aggregate dredging. Two areas of seabed, previously subject to, respectively, relatively high and lower levels of dredging intensity, were identified on the Hastings Shingle Bank. Two reference areas were also selected for comparative purposes. All four sites were monitored annually over the period 2001–2004, using a combination of acoustic, video and grab sampling techniques. Since the site was last dredged in 1996, this was intended to provide a sequence of data 5–8 years after cessation of dredging. However, an unexpected resumption of dredging within the high intensity site, during 2002 and 2003, allowed an additional assessment of the immediate effects and aftermath of renewed dredging at the seabed. The early stages of recovery could then be assessed after dredging ceased in 2003. Results from both dredged sites provide a useful insight into the early and latter stages of physical and biological recovery. A comparison of recent and historic dredge track features provided evidence of track erosion. However, tracks were still visible 8 years after the cessation of dredging. Within the high dredging intensity site, recolonisation was relatively rapid after the cessation of dredging in 2003. Rather than indicating a full recovery, we suggest that this initial ‘colonization community’ may enter a transition phase before eventually reaching equilibrium. This hypothesis is supported by results from the low intensity site, where biological recovery was judged to have taken 7 years. Further monitoring is needed in order to test this. An alternative explanation is that the rapid recovery may be explained by the settlement of large numbers of Sabellaria spinulosa. As the resumption of dredging within the high intensity site limited our assessment of longer-term recovery it is not yet possible to assume that a 7-year biological recovery period will be applicable to other, more intensively dredged areas at this or more distant locations.     

Morphological evolution of gravel and sand extraction pits, Tromper Wiek, Baltic Sea

The growing demand for marine mineral resources introduces anthropogenic impacts in the coastal zone, among others also through aggregate dredging. Pits created by anchor hopper dredging may affect local sediment budgets, local hydrodynamics and biological habitats. In this study we investigate the processes and time-scales of pits refilling at two extraction sites over 6 years following cessation of dredging. We focused on the evolution of a single pit at a gravel extraction site and the development of a group of three pits located at a sand extraction site. In the case of the gravel pit, a series of six sonograph and two multibeam surveys were evaluated. We observed a spatial expansion of the edge of the pit, decreasing availability of screened sand in the neighbourhood of the pit (a possible source of refilling), and a slowing down of the refilling process with time. At the sandy pit site a series of seven sonographs and two multibeam surveys were available. We observed a smoothing of the edges and larger mean refilling rates than in the gravel pit case. We conclude that the most effective method for monitoring of pit evolution is to make measurements every six months by simultaneously deploying sidescan sonar and multibeam devices.     

Mapping an aggregate extraction site off the Eastern English Channel: A methodology in support of monitoring and management

Each year approximately 23–28 million tonnes of sand and gravel are removed from offshore sediments around England and Wales. This study was located in a licensed marine aggregate extraction site off Shoreham in the Eastern English Channel (EEC thereafter). Results from the multibeam survey showed the presence of dredged pits created by suction hopper dredging and elongated furrows created by trailer suction hopper dredging in the area where sand and gravel had been excavated. Electronic Monitoring System (EMS) contained the dredging intensity recorded annually at the site; this information was combined with particle size data providing interpreted maps, which informed the status of the sediments at the site.     

Regeneration of sand waves after dredging

Sand waves are large bed waves on the seabed, being a few metres high and lying hundreds of metres apart. In some cases, these sand waves occur in navigation channels. If these sand waves reduce the water depth to an unacceptable level and hinder navigation, they need to be dredged. It has been observed in the Bisanseto Channel in Japan that the sand waves tend to regain their shape after dredging. In this paper, we address modelling of this regeneration of sand waves, aiming to predict this process. For this purpose, we combine a very simple, yet effective, amplitude-evolution model based on the Landau equation, with measurements in the Bisanseto Channel. The model parameters are tuned to the measured data using a genetic algorithm, a stochastic optimization routine. The results are good. The tuned model accurately reproduces the measured growth of the sand waves. The differences between the measured weave heights and the model results are smaller than the measurement noise. Furthermore, the resulting parameters are surprisingly consistent, given the large variations in the sediment characteristics, the water depth and the flow field. This approach was tested on its predictive capacity using a synthetic test case. The model was tuned based on constructed predredging data and the amplitude evolution as measured for over 2 years. After tuning, the predictions were accurate for about 10 years. Thus, it is shown that the approach could be a useful tool in the optimization of dredging strategies in case of dredging of sand waves.     

Structural changes in macrozoobenthic communities due to summer hypoxia in Gamak Bay,Korea

The purpose of this study was to examine the structural changes that macrozoobenthic communities underwent as a result of the annual summer hypoxia at the northern part of Gamak Bay, Korea. During this study period, summer hypoxia occurred at the northern part of Gamak Bay in July. Under hypoxic conditions, both the number of species and population density decreased rapidly. Species diversity also manifested lower values during this hypoxic period. Faunal composition changed seasonally with Capitella capitata dominant at the hypoxic sites in spring but disappearing in summer. The health condition of the benthic faunal community assessed by the composition of functional groups within community also changed due to the summer hypoxia from a slightly polluted condition to a highly polluted condition. From these results it has been shown that the recent macrozoobenthic community structure in Gamak Bay has returned to a state similar to what it was before dredging works commenced.     

Stability of a sand spit due to dredging in an adjacent creek

The Jatadharmohan creek lies between Mahanadi and Devi Rivers along the Orissa coast and it is separated from the sea by an elongated sand spit. It was proposed to mine a volume of 15×10⁶ m³ of sand from the creek for land filling, but maintaining the spit intact. For this, the stability of sand spit is studied with different criteria. The results confirm that the creek mouth is a near permanent zone of deposition. The model results obtained for various depth scenarios show that the magnitude of currents would increase considerably when depth is increased by 7.0 m and marginally for further increase in depth by 10.0 m. Accordingly, a dredging scheme has to be designed without affecting the spit stability. Considering the existing hydrodynamics in the creek system, it is recommended that a bed slope of 1:6 (9.5°) be maintained during dredging, which is much less than 13.75°—the evaluated critical slope at the site when seepage flow is parallel to the bed slope. It is observed during monitoring that the creek is very productive, and the sand spit is totally intact.     

Effects of suction-dredging for cockles on non-target fauna in the Wadden Sea

Suction dredging for cockles removes large cockles from tidal flats and may also cause mortality of non-target fauna and make the habitat less suitable for some species. This study examines whether suction dredging for cockles on tidal flats of the Dutch Wadden Sea had affected densities of non-target fauna, directly after fishing and one year later. Densities of non-target fauna in two randomly chosen undredged locations were compared to densities at the surrounding heavily commercially dredged area. A significant negative effect of cockle dredging on densities of 0-group Macoma balthica was observed and this effect persisted one year after dredging. The dredged area appeared to be less suitable for settlement of mussels Mytilus edulis. No significant effects of dredging on the mudsnail Hydrobia ulvae and on 0 and 1-group C. edule were found. For the mobile young Macoma balthica it seems unlikely that the effect found after one year was still due to the mortality caused by dredging and this suggests that the habitat was less suitable as a consequence of dredging. Thus, even in the highly dynamic ecosystem of the Wadden Sea, effects of bottom disturbance by cockle dredging may persist after one year.     

Short-term environmental impact of clam dredging in coastal waters (south of Portugal): chemical disturbance and subsequent recovery of seabed

The physical and chemical changes in sediment and near bottom water caused by clam dredging were examined during July and September 1999, at two locations Vilamoura (VL) and Armona (AR), south coast of Portugal. Sediment cores and near bottom water were collected simultaneously before dredging (control samples) and within short time intervals (min-h) after dredging. After dredging operations, microphytobenthos coming from the path were accumulated in the re-worked sediment (ridge). Chlorophyll a in superficial sediment increased from 1.2 microg x g(-1) before dredging to 1.7 microg x g(-1) after dredging and these higher values remained for a few hours. However, the expected increase of chlorophyll a in near bottom water due to re-suspension was not observed. After sediment disturbance an instantaneous sorption of phosphorus onto iron oxides occurred in the upper sediment layers (from 2 to 3 micromol x g(-1) before dredging to 4-5 micromol x g(-1) after dredging). A microcosm experiment showed that after sediment disturbance HPO(4)(2-) dissolved in pore water decreased from 40 to 10 microM being simultaneously sorbed onto iron oxides formed in the top layer of sediment. The ammonium, nitrates, organic nitrogen, phosphate and silicate dissolved in pore water decreased immediately after dredging activity and simultaneously an increase in near bottom water was sporadically observed. Generally, the re-establishment of seabed was reached within a short time (min-h), at both stations (VL and AR).     

大规模采砂对椒江河口段河床的影响及对策

根据椒江河口段大规模采砂前后的实测水下地形资料,对石仙妇至椒江大桥段的河床演变进行分析后发现,大规模采砂使该段河床明显下降,该段河床总体上是被刷深的,2002年该段河道容积比1993年累计增大了492.2万m3。1993年至2002年该段河床高程平均下降了0.68 m。为确保河滩和堤防的稳定,提出了相应的采砂管理措施,划定了禁止采砂区,提倡减少采砂量、弃碴就地处置和实行采砂年检制度。只要加强对采砂的科学管理,椒江河口段的采砂不但不会影响通航,反而对加大航道水深是有益的,即采砂能起到疏浚航道的作用。     

Effect of sand on the vacuum consolidation of dredged slurry

Vacuum preloading is often used to improve the geotechnical properties of dredged slurry. Although the performance of this method has improved with rapidly developing technology, soil columns usually formed on the drainage boundary induce the decrease of permeability around the boundary, thereby limiting the further development of this method. To address this issue, this paper proposes a method for pretreating the slurry combined with sand prior to vacuum consolidation. This method partially replaces the fine particles with sand to reduce the formation of soil columns. Two groups of vacuum preloading tests were performed to investigate the effect of sand content and sand grain size on the vacuum consolidation of dredged slurry. The test results revealed that for a given sand grain size, increasing the sand content of the sand–slurry mixture increased the pore water drainage and accelerated the dissipation of pore water pressure, thereby increasing the vane shear strength. In contrast, for a constant sand content, the samples containing coarse sand exhibited increased pore water drainage and accelerated dissipation of pore water pressure, thereby increasing the vane shear strength of the soil.     

疏浚物倾抛对海洋环境影响的研究述评

从当前国内外对疏浚物倾倒海洋后所产生的环境影响研究现状出发,就研究历史产生影响的生物、物理、化学过程,现场监测技术,疏浚物处理新技术的应用等方面的研究作了全面评述,这对港口、航道部门的疏浚土处理和防止海洋污染具有参考应用价值。     

Cement Deep Soil Mixing (CDSM) for Solidification of Soft Estuarine Sediments

A preliminary study was conducted to determine the potential for cement deep soil mixing (CDSM) technology as a method for in-situ solidification of contaminated river and estuarine sediments. The study was conducted in Newark Bay, near the mouth of the Passaic River, New Jersey. The primary objective of the study was to evaluate the viability of CDSM for the in-situ S/S with a focus on: 1) determining the correct mix of the cement slurry, which provides rapid stabilization of the sediment matrix, 2) potential resuspension of solids during CSDM operations, 3) the effects of high organic content on the solidification process, and 4) the feasibility of using conventional dredging/extraction methods once the sediments have been stabilized and allowed to cure. The results of the study show CDSM slurry mixtures, as low as 7% in cement content, result in significant solidification and strength gain of in-situ sediments under ambient conditions. In sediments with very high organic contents (> 20%), the slurry mix would need to be adjusted to account for retardation effects of organics on cement hydration. Sediment resuspension during application was shown to be minimal at a distance of as little as 75 feet from the mixing head. Strength gains were considerable, effectively consolidating the sediment particles in a secure matrix, but not so high as to preclude extraction of solidified sediments with conventional dredging equipment. Dredged solidified sediment exhibited characteristics of a stiff glacial clay, and as such was easier to handle and transport than untreated dredged sediments. This technique has high potential to be used as an interim remedial measure prior to either extraction and decontamination/disposal or proper capping.     

大连湾沉积物-水界面BAP 交换通量的影响因素

利用实验室培养法研究了不同因素对大连湾沉积物-水界面间生物可利用磷(BAP)交换通量的影响,并利用实验室培养法和间隙水浓度梯度法估算了大连湾已疏浚区和疏浚点邻近海域沉积物-水界面BAP的交换通量.结果表明,随着上覆水pH和温度的增加,BAP由沉积物向水体释放量逐渐增加;灭菌和贫氧条件下,也会导致沉积物BAP的释放量增加;上覆水中磷酸盐浓度的升高会导致BAP由沉积物向水体释放通量降低,且随着上覆水磷酸盐浓度的不断升高,BAP逐渐转化为由水体向沉积物中扩散.实验室培养法和间隙水浓度梯度法测定结果均显示,受到疏浚工程的影响,大连湾疏浚点邻近海域沉积物-水界面BAP的年均通量大于已疏浚区.不同季节,大连湾沉积物-水界面BAP的交换通量有所不同,表现为夏季最高,冬季最低.但由于受疏浚活动的影响,冬季疏浚点邻近海域沉积物-水界面BAP的交换通量也维持在较高水平.