Fish community responses to restoration of a eutrophic coastal bay

Sammanfattning

Interest in coastal restoration measures is increasing, but information about subsequent ecosystem recovery processes is limited. In Bjornofjarden on the Baltic Sea coast, Stockholm archipelago, a pioneering case study to reduce coastal eutrophication led to improvements and initially halved phosphorus levels. Here, we evaluate the effects of the restoration on the local fish assemblage over one decade after the measures. The study gives a unique possibility to evaluate responses of coastal fish to nutrient variables and abatement in a controlled natural setting. Cyprinid abundance decreased and perch partially increased with decreasing turbidity levels, while mean trophic level increased over time in the restored area. Responses were overall weak, likely attributed to an attenuation of the eutrophication abatement effect over time. The results suggest that nutrient reduction gives slow responses in fish compared to alternative measures such as fishing closures.

Nyckelord

Baltic Sea; Bjornofjarden; Eutrophication; Fish; Measures; Nutrient reduction

Publicerad i

AMBIO: A Journal of the Human Environment
2024, volym: 53, nummer: 1, sidor: 109-125
Utgivare: SPRINGER

SLU författare

• Bergström, Lena

  • Institutionen för akvatiska resurser (SLU Aqua), Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet
    

• Fredriksson, Ronny

  • Institutionen för akvatiska resurser (SLU Aqua), Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet
    

• Bergström, Ulf

  • Institutionen för akvatiska resurser (SLU Aqua), Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet
    

Associerade SLU-program

Kust och hav

Globala målen (SDG)

SDG14 Hav och marina resurser

UKÄ forskningsämne

Fisk- och akvakulturforskning
Miljövetenskap

Publikationens identifierare

• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13280-023-01907-3

Permanent länk till denna sida (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/123700