Ecological evaluation of an experimental beneficial use scheme for dredged sediment disposal in shallow tidal waters

D. Van der Wal; R.M. Forster; F. Rossi; H. Hummel; T. Ysebaert; F. Roose; P.M.J. Herman

doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2010.09.005

Ecological evaluation of an experimental beneficial use scheme for dredged sediment disposal in shallow tidal waters

D. Van der Wal, R.M. Forster, F. Rossi, H. Hummel, T. Ysebaert, F. Roose, P.M.J. Herman

Research output: Contribution to journal/periodical › Article › Scientific › peer-review

Abstract

An experiment was performed to test an alternative dredging strategy for the Westerschelde estuary. Clean sand dredged from the navigation channel was disposed seawards of an eroding intertidal flat in order to modify morphology and hydrodynamics, improving the multi-channel system with ecologically productive shallow water habitat. Five years of intensive monitoring revealed that part of the disposed sediment moved slowly towards the flat, increasing the very shallow subtidal and intertidal area, as planned. The sand in the impact zone became gradually finer after disposal, possibly due to reduced current velocities. Nevertheless, no changes in macrobenthic biomass, density, species richness and composition were detected in the subtidal zone, also demonstrating rapid macrobenthic recovery. In the intertidal zone, no ecological effects could be revealed superimposed on trends associated with long-term sediment fining. Thus, despite morphological success and absence of detected negative ecological impacts of the experiment, new beneficial habitat was not created.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	99-108
Journal	Marine Pollution Bulletin
Volume	62
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2010.09.005
Publication status	Published - 2011

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@article{f4ef6628359941e29730a2ecabc11d7c,

title = "Ecological evaluation of an experimental beneficial use scheme for dredged sediment disposal in shallow tidal waters",

abstract = "An experiment was performed to test an alternative dredging strategy for the Westerschelde estuary. Clean sand dredged from the navigation channel was disposed seawards of an eroding intertidal flat in order to modify morphology and hydrodynamics, improving the multi-channel system with ecologically productive shallow water habitat. Five years of intensive monitoring revealed that part of the disposed sediment moved slowly towards the flat, increasing the very shallow subtidal and intertidal area, as planned. The sand in the impact zone became gradually finer after disposal, possibly due to reduced current velocities. Nevertheless, no changes in macrobenthic biomass, density, species richness and composition were detected in the subtidal zone, also demonstrating rapid macrobenthic recovery. In the intertidal zone, no ecological effects could be revealed superimposed on trends associated with long-term sediment fining. Thus, despite morphological success and absence of detected negative ecological impacts of the experiment, new beneficial habitat was not created.",

author = "{Van der Wal}, D. and R.M. Forster and F. Rossi and H. Hummel and T. Ysebaert and F. Roose and P.M.J. Herman",

note = "Reporting year: 2011 Metis note: 4836;CEME; RE ; PGMT",

year = "2011",

doi = "10.1016/j.marpolbul.2010.09.005",

language = "English",

volume = "62",

pages = "99--108",

journal = "Marine Pollution Bulletin",

issn = "0025-326X",

publisher = "Elsevier B.V.",

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Ecological evaluation of an experimental beneficial use scheme for dredged sediment disposal in shallow tidal waters. / Van der Wal, D.; Forster, R.M.; Rossi, F.; Hummel, H.; Ysebaert, T.; Roose, F.; Herman, P.M.J.

In: Marine Pollution Bulletin, Vol. 62, No. 1, 2011, p. 99-108.

Research output: Contribution to journal/periodical › Article › Scientific › peer-review

TY - JOUR

T1 - Ecological evaluation of an experimental beneficial use scheme for dredged sediment disposal in shallow tidal waters

AU - Van der Wal, D.

AU - Forster, R.M.

AU - Rossi, F.

AU - Hummel, H.

AU - Ysebaert, T.

AU - Roose, F.

AU - Herman, P.M.J.

N1 - Reporting year: 2011 Metis note: 4836;CEME; RE ; PGMT

PY - 2011

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AB - An experiment was performed to test an alternative dredging strategy for the Westerschelde estuary. Clean sand dredged from the navigation channel was disposed seawards of an eroding intertidal flat in order to modify morphology and hydrodynamics, improving the multi-channel system with ecologically productive shallow water habitat. Five years of intensive monitoring revealed that part of the disposed sediment moved slowly towards the flat, increasing the very shallow subtidal and intertidal area, as planned. The sand in the impact zone became gradually finer after disposal, possibly due to reduced current velocities. Nevertheless, no changes in macrobenthic biomass, density, species richness and composition were detected in the subtidal zone, also demonstrating rapid macrobenthic recovery. In the intertidal zone, no ecological effects could be revealed superimposed on trends associated with long-term sediment fining. Thus, despite morphological success and absence of detected negative ecological impacts of the experiment, new beneficial habitat was not created.

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DO - 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2010.09.005

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JO - Marine Pollution Bulletin

JF - Marine Pollution Bulletin

SN - 0025-326X

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