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Novel substrates in the marine environment are subject to natural processes of succession, whereby competitively dominant species overtake opportunistic and poorly established species over time. Seeding preemptively populates novel substrates … Continue readingHow does seeding and targeted enhancement work?

Ecological enhancements are design features, retrofitting structures, or stand-alone units that ameliorate conditions for marine organisms. In urban marine environments, ecological enhancements  are primarily aimed at increasing biodiversity, supporting functionally important … Continue readingWhat is ecological enhancement?

Light and sound are introduced into the marine environment from a variety of human activities, including coastal construction and development, shipping, oil and gas extraction, marine renewable energy, military operations, … Continue readingWhat is underwater light and sound pollution?

Ecologists typically use the word ‘landscape’ to refer to mosaics of interacting ecosystems that become evident when you zoom out from a single habitat. Though these mosaics can occur at … Continue readingWhat is a seascape?

Ocean sprawl is the proliferation of human-made structures on the seafloor. These structures include everything from seawalls to discarded garden statues. Many of the structures that lead to ocean sprawl … Continue readingWhat is ocean sprawl?

Foundation species, or ecosystem engineers, are organisms that physically modify the environment in ways that benefit other species and enhance diversity. For instance, reef-building corals and canopy-forming kelps form structurally … Continue readingWhat are foundation species?

Synanthropes often share several characteristics: They are typically generalists –their diet varies according to what’s available. They are often opportunistic, “r-selected” species (short lifespan with high reproduction rate – think … Continue readingWhat makes an urban synanthrope?

  Key Points: Giant Pacific octopus the largest known octopus species in the world. A recent study suggests that deep-dwelling giant Pacific octopus are positively correlated with urbanization intensity. This … Continue readingUrban Octopus