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Leveraging Built Marine Structures to Support Natural Habitats: Success Stories and Recommendations

A large school of fish swimming around an underwater structure, an artificial reef, in clear blue water. The fish are densely packed and appear to be utilizing the structure for shelter and protection. Sunlight filters through the water, illuminating the scene and highlighting the intricate patterns of the fish as they move in unison. The submerged beams and supports of the structure create a complex habitat that enhances marine biodiversity.
The HI-A-389-A platform structure attracts fish, such as chubs (pictured here), jacks and sharks. (Image Credit: FGBNMS/Schmahl)

Many natural marine habitats are decreasing despite global conservation and restoration efforts. In contrast, built marine structures –including hardened shorelines, offshore energy and aquaculture infrastructure, and artificial reefs– are increasing. Global spatial cover of built marine structures is currently estimated at ~32,000 km², and is projected to increase rapidly over the next several years to decades. 

Typically, built marine structures are not designed to benefit natural habitats. However, there is growing recognition that these structures can be strategically designed to fulfill their original function, while also minimizing negative environmental impacts and supporting ecosystem restoration. NOAA and partners have published two new studies that address the opportunity to harness the ability of new and existing built marine structures to better support ecosystem functioning. 

An infographic illustrating the functions of built marine ecosystems and how they can be designed to benefit natural habitats.The top section (A) titled 'Primary functions of built marine ecosystems' displays three types of structures: Seawall providing coastal protection- with a zoomed in look at vertical concrete slabs going into the water Breakwater offering coastal protection- with rocks stacked in the water going half way down a slope- the zoomed in picture shows the rocks stacked in a line going against the waves. Artificial reef used for recreational diving. - with three piles of three concrete tubes and the zoomed in picture shows three of the tubes stacked like a pyramid with a scuba diver over them. The bottom section (B) titled 'Designing built structures to benefit natural habitats' presents eco-friendly adaptations: Seawall redesigned as a hybrid seawall with habitat features showing green, gray, and orange rounded flat coral like structures growing on the cement sea wall. Breakwater modified into a hybrid shoreline with vegetation showing sea grass on the top of the slope and oyster shells starting halfway up the slope meeting the seagrass. The zoomed-in feature shows a water bird standing on top of the slope between the grass and oyster shell fixture with three green fish in the water. Artificial reef designed to support reef restoration shows lumps of colorful corals in piles. The zoomed in figure shows little mounds with multiple holes around it and colorful coral like structures on each mound. The infographic visually compares traditional marine infrastructure with environmentally enhanced designs that support biodiversity and ecosystem health.
A) Built marine structures are typically not designed to benefit and minimize impacts to natural habitats. B) Strategic design of built marine infrastructure can potentially help benefit degraded natural habitats and biota and reduce adverse impacts. Illustration by Alex Boersma.

The first article synthesizes the best available science and provides “bright spot” examples of how leveraging built marine structures in certain ways can provide positive outcomes for both people and nature in a changing climate. The authors explore how different structures can be built to mimic or facilitate natural habitats, help recover biodiversity, augment ecosystem services, and rehabilitate degraded habitats.

In the second publication, the authors present nine recommendations for ocean management strategies that create synergies between the built environment and healthy marine ecosystems. These recommendations integrate understanding from ecology, economics, sociology, engineering, and more. 

As our global human footprint expands into ocean spaces, adopting these recommendations can help ensure that ecological harm is minimized while ecological benefits are maximized. The authors caution that built structures should not be used in lieu of conventional habitat restoration or conservation, or to justify the destruction of natural habitats. Instead, they recommend that built structures should be designed, sited, evaluated, and managed to the best of our abilities to minimize harm to ecosystems and to enhance biodiversity and ecosystem functions. 

 

Citations: 

  • Paxton, A.B., B.J. Runde, C.S. Smith, S.E. Lester, M.L. Vozzo, M.I. Saunders, D.N. Steward, H.R. Lemoine, S.R. Valdez, R.K. Gittman, S. Narayan, J. Allgeier, R.L. Morris, D.P. Nowacek, W. Seaman, P.N. Halpin, C. Angelini, and B.R. Silliman. 2025. Leveraging built marine structures to benefit and minimize impacts on natural habitats. BioScience 75(2). DOI: 10.1093/biosci/biae135.
  • Paxton, A.B., S.E. Lester, C.S. Smith, S. Narayan, C. Angelini, B.J. Runde, M.I. Saunders, R.K. Gittman, J. Allgeier, M.L. Vozzo, D.N. Steward, H.R. Lemoine, S.R. Valdez, R.L. Morris, D.P. Nowacek, W. Seaman, P.N. Halpin, and B.R. Silliman. 2025. Recommendations for built marine infrastructure that supports natural habitats. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment. DOI: 10.1002/fee.2840.  
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