Greening of grey and murky harbours: enhancing biodiversity and ecosystem functioning on artificial shorelines

Thea E.  Bradford; Juan Carlos Astudillo; Charlene Lai; Rainbow W.S. Leung; Jay J. Minuti; Stephen Hawkins; Rebecca L. Morris; Janet K.Y. Chan; Kenneth Mei Yee  Leung

doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2025.117961

Greening of grey and murky harbours: enhancing biodiversity and ecosystem functioning on artificial shorelines

Thea E. Bradford, Juan Carlos Astudillo^*, Charlene Lai, Rainbow W.S. Leung, Jay J. Minuti, Stephen Hawkins, Rebecca L. Morris, Janet K.Y. Chan, Kenneth Mei Yee Leung^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Journal Publications and Reviews › RGC 21 - Publication in refereed journal › peer-review

2 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Shoreline armouring in coastal cities can cause habitat degradation and biodiversity loss, often exacerbated by common anthropogenic stressors. Boulders are used as riprap to create revetments walls; but the homogenous surface and absence of shelter reduces intertidal biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. Eco-engineering can mitigate habitat loss through the addition of water retention and other microhabitats. We deployed four eco-engineered designs in a degraded harbour riprap for 18 months. Two units with site-specific designs combined multiple microhabitat types, attracting the highest species diversity. All four designs generally increased within-site β diversity and fish diversity compared to nearby unmanipulated ripraps. Suspension-feeding species and more species within key functional groups colonised eco-engineered units at patch and site scale. Tailored, site-specific eco-engineering shows great potential to rehabilitate degraded ripraps into functional, novel ecosystems. Combining eco-engineering with anthropogenic stress reduction to enable recovery can enhance biodiversity and ecosystem functioning in coastal cities.

© 2025 Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Original language	English
Article number	117961
Number of pages	13
Journal	Marine Pollution Bulletin
Volume	216
Online published	25 Apr 2025
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2025.117961
Publication status	Published - Jul 2025

Funding

The authors thank the Development Bureau and the Civil Engineering and Development Department of the Hong Kong Special Administration Region Government for their ongoing support and expertise. This project was supported by project number PLB(Q)24/2019. The study was partially supported by the State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution (SKLMP) at City University of Hong Kong which is supported by the provision of regular research funding from the Innovation and Technology Commission (ITC) of the Hong Kong SAR Government (project number PJ9448002). However, any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication do not reflect the views of the Hong Kong SAR Government. Special thanks go to Michael Kokora of afterNATURE and Object Territories for design and fabrication of the two locally created eco-engineered units. The authors also thank the other members of the Hong Kong team for their hard work in the field, particularly Hammond Tong, Kevin Shiu, Chi Chiu Lo, Carmen Wong, Melanie Man, John Terenzini, Jenny Leung, Cheryl Wu, Carl Ng and Karman Ma.

Research Keywords

Eco-engineering
Conservation and restoration
Intertidal ecology
Marine infrastructure
Shoreline hardening
Sustainable cities

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1016/j.marpolbul.2025.117961

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title = "Greening of grey and murky harbours: enhancing biodiversity and ecosystem functioning on artificial shorelines",

abstract = "Shoreline armouring in coastal cities can cause habitat degradation and biodiversity loss, often exacerbated by common anthropogenic stressors. Boulders are used as riprap to create revetments walls; but the homogenous surface and absence of shelter reduces intertidal biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. Eco-engineering can mitigate habitat loss through the addition of water retention and other microhabitats. We deployed four eco-engineered designs in a degraded harbour riprap for 18 months. Two units with site-specific designs combined multiple microhabitat types, attracting the highest species diversity. All four designs generally increased within-site β diversity and fish diversity compared to nearby unmanipulated ripraps. Suspension-feeding species and more species within key functional groups colonised eco-engineered units at patch and site scale. Tailored, site-specific eco-engineering shows great potential to rehabilitate degraded ripraps into functional, novel ecosystems. Combining eco-engineering with anthropogenic stress reduction to enable recovery can enhance biodiversity and ecosystem functioning in coastal cities.{\textcopyright} 2025 Published by Elsevier Ltd.",

keywords = "Eco-engineering, Conservation and restoration, Intertidal ecology, Marine infrastructure, Shoreline hardening, Sustainable cities",

author = "Bradford, {Thea E.} and Astudillo, {Juan Carlos} and Charlene Lai and Leung, {Rainbow W.S.} and Minuti, {Jay J.} and Stephen Hawkins and Morris, {Rebecca L.} and Chan, {Janet K.Y.} and Leung, {Kenneth Mei Yee}",

year = "2025",

month = jul,

doi = "10.1016/j.marpolbul.2025.117961",

language = "English",

volume = "216",

journal = "Marine Pollution Bulletin",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - Greening of grey and murky harbours

T2 - enhancing biodiversity and ecosystem functioning on artificial shorelines

AU - Bradford, Thea E.

AU - Astudillo, Juan Carlos

AU - Lai, Charlene

AU - Leung, Rainbow W.S.

AU - Minuti, Jay J.

AU - Hawkins, Stephen

AU - Morris, Rebecca L.

AU - Chan, Janet K.Y.

AU - Leung, Kenneth Mei Yee

PY - 2025/7

Y1 - 2025/7

N2 - Shoreline armouring in coastal cities can cause habitat degradation and biodiversity loss, often exacerbated by common anthropogenic stressors. Boulders are used as riprap to create revetments walls; but the homogenous surface and absence of shelter reduces intertidal biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. Eco-engineering can mitigate habitat loss through the addition of water retention and other microhabitats. We deployed four eco-engineered designs in a degraded harbour riprap for 18 months. Two units with site-specific designs combined multiple microhabitat types, attracting the highest species diversity. All four designs generally increased within-site β diversity and fish diversity compared to nearby unmanipulated ripraps. Suspension-feeding species and more species within key functional groups colonised eco-engineered units at patch and site scale. Tailored, site-specific eco-engineering shows great potential to rehabilitate degraded ripraps into functional, novel ecosystems. Combining eco-engineering with anthropogenic stress reduction to enable recovery can enhance biodiversity and ecosystem functioning in coastal cities.© 2025 Published by Elsevier Ltd.

AB - Shoreline armouring in coastal cities can cause habitat degradation and biodiversity loss, often exacerbated by common anthropogenic stressors. Boulders are used as riprap to create revetments walls; but the homogenous surface and absence of shelter reduces intertidal biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. Eco-engineering can mitigate habitat loss through the addition of water retention and other microhabitats. We deployed four eco-engineered designs in a degraded harbour riprap for 18 months. Two units with site-specific designs combined multiple microhabitat types, attracting the highest species diversity. All four designs generally increased within-site β diversity and fish diversity compared to nearby unmanipulated ripraps. Suspension-feeding species and more species within key functional groups colonised eco-engineered units at patch and site scale. Tailored, site-specific eco-engineering shows great potential to rehabilitate degraded ripraps into functional, novel ecosystems. Combining eco-engineering with anthropogenic stress reduction to enable recovery can enhance biodiversity and ecosystem functioning in coastal cities.© 2025 Published by Elsevier Ltd.

KW - Eco-engineering

KW - Conservation and restoration

KW - Intertidal ecology

KW - Marine infrastructure

KW - Shoreline hardening

KW - Sustainable cities

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U2 - 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2025.117961

DO - 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2025.117961

M3 - RGC 21 - Publication in refereed journal

SN - 0025-326X

VL - 216

JO - Marine Pollution Bulletin

JF - Marine Pollution Bulletin

M1 - 117961

ER -

Greening of grey and murky harbours: enhancing biodiversity and ecosystem functioning on artificial shorelines

Abstract

Funding

Research Keywords

UN SDGs

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Marine Ecology Considerations for the Use of Eco-engineering in Urban-environment Rehabilitation

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Greening of grey and murky harbours: enhancing biodiversity and ecosystem functioning on artificial shorelines

Abstract

Funding

Research Keywords

UN SDGs

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Student theses

Marine Ecology Considerations for the Use of Eco-engineering in Urban-environment Rehabilitation

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