Dear Editor,
To squeeze or not to squeeze?
Mark Linsley Elm Cottage, The Street, Chillesford, Woodbridge IP12 3PU
I was interested by Ken Adam's article 'Coastal Squeeze is driving them up the wall' (EFC
Newsletter No.42). He provides an apparent example of how coastal squeeze may be
operating in that Saltmarsh plants are progressively being pushed towards and up the seawall.
In fact, we read and hear a lot about how sea level rise and coastal squeeze is and has been
responsible for saltmarsh loss, particularly along the Essex coast e.g. Tabor 2003. 1 would
therefore like to draw attention to the work of Dr Rob Hughes (of Queen Mary College,
University of London) and colleagues. They found no evidence to support the hypothesis of
coastal squeeze and the subsequent loss of saltmarsh in S. E. England. They provide an
alternative explanation for the loss of pioneer zone plants and the internal erosion of
saltmarshes. They point the finger at our own British wildlife, specifically the bioturbation
and herbivory of Nereis diversicolor, and, to a lesser extent, Corophium volutator. Dr Hughes
et al. indicate that realignment schemes may provide an inadequate response to marsh creation
and in some circumstances might actually further increase erosion.
References & Bibliography
Hughes, R. G (1997). Saltmarsh Erosion and Management of Saltmarsh Restoration: The
Effects of Infaunal Invertebrates. Restoration of Aquatic Systems, Newcastle upon Tyne,
Wiley.
I lughes, R. G. (1999). Saltmarsh Erosion and Management of Saltmarsh Restoration: The
Effects of Infaunal Invertebrates. Aquatic Conservation 9(1): 83-96.
Hughes, R. G. (2001). Biological and Physical processes that affect Saltmarsh erosion and
Saltmarsh restoration: development of hypotheses. Ecological Studies 151: In Press.
Hughes, R. G & Paramor, O. A. L. (Undated). The Effects of Biological & Physical
Processes on Saltmarsh Erosion & Restoration in SE England, http://
www.tyndall.ac.uk/research/theme4/ workshop 1 /chapter_5.pdf
I lughes, R. G. & Paramor, O. A. L. (In Press). On the causes of the decline of saltmarshes in
SE England and methods for reducing erosion and marsh restoration. Journal of Applied
Ecology.
Hughes, R. G. & Paramor, O. A. L. (In Press). The effects of bioturbation and herbivory by
the polychaete Nereis diversicoloron Saltmarsh erosion in SE England. Journal of Applied
Ecology.
Tabor, R. 2003. Turning the tide for saltmarshes. British Wildlife Vol. 15:1: 10-19.
Also for an extensive bibliography of Saltmarsh restoration, links to information about
managed retreat sites in eastern England, and other information about intertidal habitats see
Alastair Grant's excellent website: http://www.uea.ac.uk/~el30/Saltmarsh.htm
22 Essex Field Club Newsletter No. 43, January 2004