Spatial extent of desalination discharge impacts to habitat-forming species on temperate reefs.

Autor: Kelaher BP; National Marine Science Centre and Marine Ecology Research Centre, Southern Cross University, PO Box 4321, Coffs Harbour, NSW 2450, Australia. Electronic address: brendan.kelaher@scu.edu.au., Coleman MA; National Marine Science Centre and Marine Ecology Research Centre, Southern Cross University, PO Box 4321, Coffs Harbour, NSW 2450, Australia; New South Wales Fisheries, Department of Primary Industries, PO Box 4321, Coffs Harbour, NSW 2450, Australia.
Jazyk: angličtina
Zdroj: Marine pollution bulletin [Mar Pollut Bull] 2022 Feb; Vol. 175, pp. 113368. Date of Electronic Publication: 2022 Feb 01.
DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.113368
Abstrakt: Outlet infrastructure and hypersaline discharge from large-scale desalination operations have the potential to impact marine environments. Here, we present the results of a six-year M-BACI assessment of the impacts of desalination discharge outlet construction and hypersaline effluent on the cover of habitat-forming species on temperate reefs. The construction of the desalination outlet caused a decrease in the cover of Ecklonia radiata (kelp) and an increase in the cover of algal turfs up to 55 m from the outlet. Following the commencement of discharging of hypersaline brine, the impact to E. radiata and algal turfs persisted, but decreased in spatial extent to be less than 25 m from the outlet. Hypersaline discharge was also associated with a significant decline in the cover of sponges in outlet compared to reference sites. Overall, our results demonstrate that the water security benefits from large-scale desalination may sometimes be appropriately balanced against the associated ecological consequences.
(Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)
Databáze: MEDLINE
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