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- Title
The outsized trophic footprint of marine urbanization.
- Authors
Malerba, Martino E; White, Craig R; Marshall, Dustin J
- Abstract
Artificial structures are proliferating along coastlines worldwide, creating new habitat for heterotrophic filter feeders. The energy demand of this heterotrophic biomass is likely to be substantial, but is largely unquantified. Combining in situ surveys, laboratory assays, and information obtained from geographic information systems, we estimated the energy demands of sessile invertebrates found on marine artificial structures worldwide. At least 950,000 metric tons of heterotrophic biomass are associated with commercial ports around the world, emitting over 600 metric tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere and consuming 5 million megajoules of energy per day. We propose the concept of a trophic "footprint" of marine urbanization, in which every square meter of artificial structure can negate the primary production of up to 130 square meters of surrounding coastal waters; collectively, these structures not only act as energy sinks and carbon sources, but also potentially reduce the productivity of coastal food webs.
- Subjects
OFFSHORE structures; GEOGRAPHIC information systems; TERRITORIAL waters; CARBON cycle; URBANIZATION
- Publication
Frontiers in Ecology & the Environment, 2019, Vol 17, Issue 7, p400
- ISSN
1540-9295
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1002/fee.2074