Dissertation
Ghost crabs as ecological indicators of human stressors on sandy beaches
University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland
Doctor of Philosophy, University of the Sunshine Coast
2010
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.25907/00566
Abstract
Sandy beaches geographically dominate the globe's shorelines. They critical ecosystem services, provide habitat for threatened species, and support biodiversity, and recycle nutrients and organic matter. Human pressures on sandy beaches are escalating, chiefly as a result of the high demand for recreation and coastal development. Direct human impacts on sandy shores include dune removal and infrastructure construction, soft (nourishment) and hard (armouring)-engineering solutions, pedestrian trampling, and ORV traffic. Global climate change and its predicted effects (e.g. increasing storm intensity and frequency; sea level rise) place additional stressors on ocean-exposed sandy shores. Assessing and monitoring the ecological effects of human pressures are critical steps in developing and implementing adequate coastal management strategies that are effective in conserving beach ecosystems. However, monitoring programs are currently impeded by the lack of scientifically robust biological indicators. Consequently, this thesis examined the utility of ghost crab (genus Ocypode) to measure biological responses to several types of human disturbance on sandy shores.
Details
- Title
- Ghost crabs as ecological indicators of human stressors on sandy beaches
- Authors
- Serena Lucrezi
- Contributors
- Thomas Schlacher (Supervisor)
- Awarding institution
- University of the Sunshine Coast
- Degree awarded
- Doctor of Philosophy
- Publisher
- University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland
- DOI
- 10.25907/00566
- Organisation Unit
- School of Science and Engineering - Legacy; University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland; School of Science, Technology and Engineering
- Language
- English
- Record Identifier
- 99449526602621
- Output Type
- Dissertation
- Research Statement
- false
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