No
species lives in a vacuum. Before we can understand the ecology of coastal
habitats, we need to link together knowledge about life-histories, interactions
and patterns of change in the diverse sets of species which live with us on the
coast.
Experimental
work in coastal habitats has provided insight into the way species respond to
disturbances. Most of this work has necessarily been done at a small scale and
does not integrate patterns and dynamics from one habitat to another, even
though the animals and plants often live across wide ranges of habitats.
We
know much, for instance, about the ecology of rocky shores, mangroves and seagrasses, but little is known about how these habitats
interact. Urban areas provide opportunities to develop better understanding of
these patterns and dynamics because of their mixture of natural and disturbed
habitats and because many types of new habitats and structures are created by
urban development.
Until
we develop better methods of understanding, and predicting the way animals and
plants respond to disturbances, there is little chance that we can manage or
conserve the numerous, unique species on our coast-lines. We need new types of
research to solve the problems which arise in managing pollution, building,
fishing and all of the other problems caused by coastal cities.
The
Centre for Research on Ecological Impacts of Coastal Cities is doing the
necessary research to improve our understanding of the ecological processes
affected by coastal changes so that we can make better progress in our
protection and use of coastal habitats.
Our
team includes some of the world's leading researchers in various related
fields. The Centre is able to do the research to integrate ideas and models
across habitats, to understand the processes of recolonization
after disturbances, to interpret the way populations persist when they are
disturbed and to predict the patterns of occupation of new habitats when they
are built.
The
research focuses on the development of new methods to assess ecological changes
and on procedures for interpreting changes when they occur. Both require
long-term, large-scale studies in disturbed and other habitats. We are using
modern experimental techniques to test theories about responses to
disturbances, so that predictions will be improved for our future responses to
environmental changes.
Research
is being done to increase the success of programmes
of restoration and rebuilding of habitats, where these activities are possible.
By
bringing together expertise from a range of ecological disciplines (including
experimental design, statistical analysis, genetics, population processes and modelling), the Centre has created a new focus for
understanding natural changes in addition to those changes brought about by
coastal development.
The
Centre also provides improved training for postgraduate students and
environmental professionals in methods and understanding of the coastal
habitats.
By
focusing on the core ecological processes that maintain diverse systems of
species, the Centre's work provides new opportunities
for improved management of habitats that are increasingly threatened by our
coastal activities.
