The introduction of coastal infrastructure as a driver of change in marine environments

Summary 1. Coastal landscapes are being transformed as a consequence of the increasing demand for urban infrastructure to sustain commercial, residential and tourist activities. A variety of man‐made structures, such as breakwaters, jetties and seawalls have thus become ubiquitous features of intertidal and shallow subtidal habitats. This transformation will accelerate in response to the exponential growth of human populations and to global changes, such as sea‐level rise and increased frequency of extreme meteorological events (e.g. storms). Here, we provide a critical overview of the major ecological effects of increasing infrastructure to marine habitats, we identify future research directions for advancing…

• AR
  Australian Research Council