Managed realignment is now widely seen as an important part of coastal management strategy, as an environmentally sustainable, cost-effective alternative to traditional, hard defences. However, the trajectory of salt marsh development in managed realignment schemes remains uncertain and it is unclear how sites should be managed to fulfil both coastal defence and biodiversity objectives. In this study, the overarching aim is to find out ways in which we can create salt marshes that are self-sustaining and function as closely to natural ecosystems as possible, by considering the linked biogeomorphological processes in salt marsh ecosystems. Such an approach will improve predictions of habitat development and recommendations for future practice in managed realignment schemes. The first important question is: How do pre-alignment plant species growing within managed realignment sites respond to salt water inundation upon re-exposure to flooding? Understanding the responses of the terrestrial vegetation community to initial seawater flooding may improve predictions of the short-term transition into salt marsh vegetation. To answer this, the effects of seawater inundation on pre-existing vegetation are initially examined in a greenhouse experiment in Chapter 3. It was demonstrated that one common plant species component of many coastal grasslands, Trifolium repens, responds poorly to simulated seawater soil flooding, but the response is population-, i.e. ecotype-, specific; therefore, the species consequently has an adaptive capacity to withstand short periods of soil inundation by seawater. In addition, I look at how and why the vegetation community of a restored site transitions following the reintroduction of tidal water, including the response of the original community of non-salt marsh plant species to salt water inundation and subsequent salt marsh plant community reassembly. After three years of tidal inundation at South Efford managed realignment site (SEM), terrestrial vegetation had decreased in cover and nearly all species recorded on the adjacent natural marsh had colonised. However, the cover of salt marsh species was limited by waterlogging, caused by modifications to the tidal regime by a self-regulating tidal gate. This leads on to the second question: How do new engineering techniques alter the tidal regime and what specific aspects of the new regime drive plant community reassembly and sedimentation patterns? In Chapters 4, 5 and 6, three years of ecological and geomorphological development are investigated in response to a variable inundation regime imposed by regulated tidal exchange at SEM. Inundation of the marsh surface was very regular, but water levels were not deep enough to encourage sufficient morphological development, sedimentation nor hydrochory. In contrast, ecological development was limited by waterlogging. Balancing the tidal regime with the drainage efficiency of managed realignment sites may be the most likely scenario under which restored salt marsh will develop with maximum biodiversity benefits. Otherwise, further management techniques, such as the excavation of tidal channels, may need to be employed to improve site drainage. Consequently, the final question is: How can biodiversity be maximized on realignment sites through the use of different management techniques and site design? Tidal channels on a range of managed and natural sites were shown to improve the drainage efficiency of adjacent soils (particularly channels of greater width and/or higher Strahler order). Plant species diversity was generally higher on channel banks in managed realignment sites. On sites with highly reduced soils, the colonisation and establishment of halophytes could be advanced on the banks of tidal channels. Additionally, topographic heterogeneity introduced by tidal channels created a variety of habitat niches, which allowed a range of salt marsh species to establish in the absence of highly competitive species, such as Elymus repens. Results from this study could contribute to the generation of a number of recommendations for the implementation of managed realignment schemes, particularly regarding the excavation of tidal creek networks.

Submitted by Jean Medeiros (jeanletras@uepb.edu.br) on 2016-08-12T12:17:58Z No. of bitstreams: 1 PDF - Renato Pereira Dantas.pdf: 2391944 bytes, checksum: 12056a11ac436bdd4e65fb9e44ddf75b (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-08-12T12:17:59Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 PDF - Renato Pereira Dantas.pdf: 2391944 bytes, checksum: 12056a11ac436bdd4e65fb9e44ddf75b (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-02-03 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPES / The incorporation of a geographic perspective on ecology, has promoted insights were landscape models provide frameworks for understanding the hydrological and geological variability in estuarine regions. In this context, the geomorphological arrangements have explained the Nekton structure at different scales. These models are based on two hypothesis : i) the landscape determines the hydrodynamics and the configuration of the fiscal chemist variables ii) the geomorphology may affect the distribution and habitat use by species since certain geometries can support or attract higher densities. These factors have been observed in drainage systems that composed estuaries, the tidal creeks. In these sites, processes such as energy dissipation tidal stratification, tide and circulation of nutrients, are decisive factors in the structuring of the assemblages. In this context estuarine fish, they tend to have a significant energy expenditure adapting to the conditions of salinity and temperature. In this way, creeks can offer tidal and thermal refuge on the structures that form their landscape, playing a role in the persistence of the species during the tidal cycles. The narrowing of the channels geometry causes the dissipation of the tide, especially due to the braking caused by the friction of the banks. Mediated the channel narrows it had observed physical and chemical gradient associated with geomorphology. Thus assemblies may differ over different portions of the channels. For example, the hydraulic dynamics and hyaline circulation can be decisive in the presence of certain species. Soon varations in geomorphological measures, such as length and width, cause changes in the composition of estuarine fish assemblages. Then channels with different morphometric must differ in their population structure. Therefore, it had assumed therefore that the geomorphology inherent to drainage networks are directly connected to their function in the estuarine environment, so physical and chemical changes associated to landscape can attract fish species seeking for refuge, food and reproduction sites. For this reason the present work aimed to verify the way that the geomorphological features (length, width, split, connection to the main channel and meanders), in two second order creeks, affects the composition, distribution and abundance of fish assemblages over a salt gradient on a seasonal basis. Therefore, we made six excursions (3 in the dry and 3 in the rainy season). In each channel, were set four sample points, two of then represented the lower and other two the upper part. At each point were performed three hauls using a beach seine. Environmental factors were measured using a multiparameter meter. The geomorphometrie was obtained through satellite images A total of 6901 individuals included in 76 species of fish were caught. In this study, we found differentiate between areas next the connection with the main channel that show a greater richness and fish density. We attributed this pattern to the proximity of these zones with the main channel, the creek moth size and the width. The lower portions presented more stable in terms of salinity and dissolved oxygen, thus the upper zone was characterized by dominance of small gobiidae. / A incorporação de uma perspectiva geográfica a ecologia, tem promovido insights através dos quais modelos de paisagem fornecem quadros para o entendimento das variabilidades hidrológicas e geológicas nas regiões estuarinas. Nesse contexto, os arranjos geomorfológicos têm explicado a estrutura do nécton em diferentes escalas. Tais modelos fundamentam-se em duas hipóteses: i) a paisagem determina a configuração das variáveis fisioquímicas, e hidrodinâmicas, ii) a geomorfologia pode afetar a distribuição e uso do hábitat pelas espécies uma vez que determinadas geometrias podem suportar ou atrair maiores densidades. Estes fatores são observados nas redes de drenagem que compõem os estuários, os canais de maré. Nestes locais, processos como a dissipação da energia tidal estratificação, maré e circulação de nutrientes, são fatores decisivos na estruturação das assembleias. Em tal contexto peixes estuarinos, tendem a ter um gasto de energia significativo adequando-se as condições de salinidade e temperatura. Desta forma, canais podem ofertar refúgio tidal e térmico, nas estruturas que formam sua paisagem, desempenhando um papel na persistência das espécies durante os ciclos de maré. Os estreitamentos na geometria dos canais provocam a dissipação da maré, sobretudo devido principalmente a frenagem ocasionada pela fricção das margens. A mediada que o canal se estreita observa -se a formação de um gradiente físico e químico associado a geomorfologia. Assim, assembleias podem diferir ao longo de porções distintas dos canais. Por exemplo a dinâmica hidráulica e a circulação hialina pode ser determinante na presença de certas espécies. comprimento, acarretam mudanças na composição das assembleias de peixes estuarinos. Então canais com morfometrias distintas devem diferir quanto a sua estrutura populacional. Assume-se, portanto que a geomorfologia inerente as redes de drenagem estão diretamente ligadas a função das mesmas no ambiente estuarino, ou seja, variações físicas e químicas ligadas a paisagem atraem espécies de peixes em busca refúgio, alimento e reprodução. Por esta razão, o presente trabalho buscou verificar a maneira que as características geomorfológicas (comprimento, largura, divisões, conexão com o canal principal e número de meandros) em dois canais de maré de segunda ordem, afetam a composição, distribuição e abundância das assembleias de peixes ao longo de um gradiente salino em um regime sazonal. Para tanto foram realizadas seis excursões (3 no período seco e 3 no chuvoso). Em cada canal foram estabelecidos quatro pontos amostrais, dois dos quais representavam a zona inferior e dois a porção superior. Em cada ponto foram realizados três arrastos utilizando uma rede beach seine. Os fatores ambientais foram aferidos através de uma soda Logo variações nas medidas geomorfológicas, tais como largura e multiparamétrica. A geomorfometría foi obtida através de imagens de satélite. Um total de 6.901 indivíduos, pertencentes a 76 espécies, foram capturados. Nesse estudo constatou-se diferenciação entre as zonas, onde as regiões próximas a conexão com o canal principal paresentaram maior riqueza e densidade de peixes. Atribuiu-se tal padrão a proximidade destas zonas com o canal principal, tamanho da abertura da boca do canal bem como a largura do mesmo. As zonas inferiores apresentaram-se mais instáveis em termos de salinidade e oxigênio dissolvido, desta forma as zonas superiores foram caracterizadas pela dominância de pequenos gobídeos.

Ce manuscrit de thèse propose la première étude sédimentologique exhaustive de l’escarpement du Dur At Talah (150 km de long sur 120 m de hauteur). Ce dernier affleure dans la dépression d’Abu Tumayam, dans la partie méridionale du Bassin de Syrte (Libye). La Formation du Dur At Talah offre une séquence sédimentaire régressive (au 2nd ordre), allant de faciès marins peu profonds à des faciès fluviatiles, datée de l’Eocène supérieur. Les exceptionnelles conditions d'affleurement ont permis une analyse sédimentologique approfondie (lithofaciès, ichnofaciès, géométries et découpage séquentiel) conduisant à une caractérisation multiscalaire d'un système margino-littoral dominé par la dynamique tidale. Parmi les résultats saillants de cette étude figure l'identification de deux processus sédimentaires : la progradation signée par des structures clinoformes et l’accrétion latérale caractérisée par des stratifications hétérolithiques inclinées (IHS). Dès lors, plusieurs corps sédimentaires se distinguent sans ambiguïté tel que les barres d’embouchure hétérolithiques et les barres de méandres de chenaux tidaux. L'auscultation de ces grands corps sédimentaires permet alors d'en définir les critères de reconnaissance et le contexte séquentiel de mise en place, mais aussi d'en contraindre le potentiel réservoir. / This manuscript provides the first exhaustive sedimentological study of the Dur At Talah escarpment (≈120 m high and ≈150 km length). This latter is exposed in the Abu Tumayam Trough, in the southern Sirt Basin (Libya). The Dur At Talah Formation forms a 2nd order regressive sequence, from shallow marine to fluviatile deposits, dated as upper Eocene. This exceptional outcrop allows an extensive and detailed sedimentological analysis (lithofaciès, ichnofaciès, geometries and sequence stratigraphy) leading to a multi-scale characterization of nearshore to paralic environments dominated by tidal dynamic. Among outstanding results, two sedimentary processes have been recognized and characterized: the progradation is expressed by large-scale clinoform structures and the lateral accretion is characterized by inclined heterolithic stratifications (IHS). Several sedimentary bodies are, thus, unequivocally distinguishable such as heterolithic mouth-bars and tidal channel point-bars. Thorough analysis of these sedimentary bodies allows to define diagnostic criteria to recognize them. They can be replaced in a consistent stratigraphic framework explaining their architecture and their vertical evolution in order to be used as reservoir analog.