Evaluating the Effects of Shoreline Modification on Nursery Habitat Quality in Tropical Estuaries

Tropical estuaries offer vital nursery habitats for young fishes and other aquatic organisms because of the presence of food, shelter, and appropriate water conditions, among others. Shoreline modifications caused by the urbanization process, coastal development, artificial embankments, and shoreline hardening may impact such ecological processes and decrease nursery habitat quality. The current research seeks to analyze how different shoreline modification conditions might influence nursery habitat quality in tropical estuaries using a simulation approach. A comparative evaluation framework was proposed using five ecological factors: abundance of juvenile fishes, species diversity, vegetation cover, habitat connectivity, and suitability of water quality. Four shoreline conditions were assessed: natural vegetated shorelines, moderately modified shorelines, highly armored shorelines, and living shorelines. Datasets have been created to analyze the distinctions in ecological functioning among the four scenarios. Based on the simulations, the natural and restored living shorelines have relatively higher nursery habitat quality when compared to highly armored shorelines. Vegetation cover and connectivity have high correlations with the habitat-quality index. It is suggested that shoreline modifications may impact nursery functioning through structural complexity, ecological connectivity, and environmental favorability. The developed conceptual framework can be used as a foundation for assessing the alternative shoreline management scenarios and prioritizing restoration in tropical estuarine ecosystems.