Recolonization Patterns Of Benthic Assemblages After Relict Sand Dredging In The Central Tyrrhenian Sea

Recolonization patterns of benthic assemblages after relict sand dredging were investigated in an area offshore of Capo d'Anzio (central Tyrrhenian Sea). Surveys were performed before, during, and after dredging in 2007. Sampling stations were located within and outside the dredging site in water depths between 40 and 56 m. Defaunation due to sand extraction was the main impact observed in the inner stations and in stations located in proximity of the dredging site. At the inner stations, 9 months after dredging, a significant increase in species richness and diversity was observed: the sediment removal led to an increase of the sandy sediment fraction, favouring the settlement of sabulicolous species. A decrease in number of individuals and species was also observed in most of the outer stations, probably due to fine sediment redeposition. Recolonization of macrobenthic assemblages was essentially achieved at inner stations both in terms of abundance and species richness, while at outer stations it was still in progress. Results of this study, providing a picture of recovery times and processes in the Tyrrhenian Sea, could be used to develop predictions of the effects of future offshore sand dredging projects in comparable areas. Monitoring programs and research have a key role to provide a more detailed overview of biological recovery processes and times in different regions and with different dredging intensity.