04 September - 1pm - Zoology Museum
Jessica Ware (Swansea University, UK)
The application of artificial floating islands in saline environments
Artificial Floating Islands (AFIs) have primarily been used in freshwater habitats such as reservoirs, ponds and river systems for water quality improvement and habitat creation for breeding birds. To assess the potential application of AFIs in marine environments, this comparative study focuses on both the floral species suitable for island installation and the fauna associated with the islands including birds, fish and invertebrate populations. By addressing gaps in current research on artificial habitat creation, this study aims to support future ecosystem enhancement programs that seek to mitigate the loss of coastal habitats via coastal hardening.
Robyn Jones (Swansea University, UK)
Remote methods for the assessment of coastal biodiversity interacting with marine renewable developments
The rapid development of new technologies in the marine renewable energy fields creates a series of challenges in the management of marine coastal resources. Traditional methodologies for assessing habitats, fish assemblages and marine mammals are no longer appropriate as they are often not suitable for use around hard structure associated with marine renewable developments and any potentially sensitive habitats and species found in the area. The use of traditional technologies for assessing habitats and motile fauna creates uncertainly in the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process potentially leading to poor decision making and opening up such decisions to future legal challenge. This talk will introduce different novel methods for the use of baited underwater camera systems, for assessing flora and fauna around areas with the potential for marine renewable structures and their associated marine environments.
