Experimental evaluation of flow-structure interaction with artificial seagrass: recommendations for restoration and field applications
- [published Version]
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Beschreibung:
Coastal ecosystems are of extreme importance for the environment and human livelihoods based on their ecosystem services: they provide habitat for diverse fauna, supplying food, protection, and nursing grounds for a myriad of species; they provide a self-sustaining source of nourishment and income for the growing coastal communities; they sequester carbon more efficiently and in greater quantities than any land ecosystem; they trap sediments and reduce energy from waves, currents, and tides, thus protecting the coast and the inherent communities and habitats. Despite these services, coastal ecosystems have seen rapid decline over the past century, mostly due to the rapid human population expansion and the ensuing destructive infrastructure. One of the most affected ecosystems are seagrasses, which unfortunately do not receive the attention of more conspicuous ones such as coral reefs and mangrove forests. Nonetheless, recent research has shown that, although they only cover 0.2% of the ocean floor, seagrasses can sequester 10% of the ocean carbon (a.k.a. blue carbon), exceeding the rate of any land cover. Moreover, according to the United Nations (UN), half of the human population will be living near coastal areas by 2030, while already more than half of the population lives in urbanized areas, meaning more infrastructure, and hence more ecosystem destruction. This deadly trend has led to the disappearance of more than a third of the seagrass cover since the late 19th century. To counter this, several restoration efforts have been initiated. Within this thesis, the emulation of seagrass ecosystem services is proposed and investigated as a restoration solution. Seagrasses facilitate their own growth by adapting to their surroundings, affecting the ambient hydrodynamics to promote their own survival. Reproducing this behavior through artificial structures in either virgin or former seagrass-covered habitats should then promote seagrass establishment and proliferation. In turn, the restored seagrass should provide ...