Impact of ferry traffic waves on the littoral zone of the Baltic Sea
How do ferry waves shape coastal ecosystems?Our team working at in Korpoström, the field station of Åbo Akademi University, is investigating this question.
Monitoring the wave disturbance is largely enabled through FINMARI infrastructure, which has provided wave loggers, complemented by light loggers and custom-made sediment traps. Alongside, we are tracking the growth, morphology, reproduction and recruitment of Fucus vesiculosus at sites near a busy fairway as well as at control sites. The study also examines invertebrate diversity and monitors populations of the invasive mud crab to elucidate how physical disturbance affects the community structure and predation by a novel predator.
By linking ship-wave dynamics to ecological responses, we aim to support sustainable coexistence between ferry transport and healthy Baltic rocky shores.
This project is part of the PhD Pilot within the Digital Waters Flagship (https://digitalwaters.fi) and funded by the Finnish Ministry of Education and Culture and the Research Council of Finland.
For more details on the projects please see:
https://digitalwaters.fi/impacts-of-ferry-waves-on-bladderwrack/ .
By: D. Kampantais and P. Saari
