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Preliminary assessment of the use of intertidal grazers to create ‘self-cleaning’ boat slipways / LILY NOBLES

Swansea University Author: LILY NOBLES

Abstract

Boat slipways present a unique management challenge to local authorities as they need to be maintained in an algal free state, so they are safe and accessible for recreational and commercial use. Current slipway management techniques are ineffective, short-lived, and environmentally harmful. There i...

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Published: Swansea University, Wales, UK 2025
Institution: Swansea University
Degree level: Master of Research
Degree name: MRes
Supervisor: Griffin, J.
URI: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa70074
first_indexed 2025-07-31T11:18:06Z
last_indexed 2025-08-01T14:34:00Z
id cronfa70074
recordtype RisThesis
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spelling 2025-07-31T12:18:03.3486300 v2 70074 2025-07-31 Preliminary assessment of the use of intertidal grazers to create ‘self-cleaning’ boat slipways 68937da58470db5cf6b8730ac0f3cff2 LILY NOBLES LILY NOBLES true false 2025-07-31 Boat slipways present a unique management challenge to local authorities as they need to be maintained in an algal free state, so they are safe and accessible for recreational and commercial use. Current slipway management techniques are ineffective, short-lived, and environmentally harmful. There is, therefore, a global demand for the development of a new approach to slipway management. In this thesis, a new approach is proposed using limpets to maintain slipways in an algal free state through grazing. A major impediment to using grazers such as limpets to clean slipways is that slipways lack refugia and thus grazers are at high risk of being trampled by foot and vehicle traffic. Substrate refuges (e.g., grooves) may provide protection from such stressors and therefore allow for greater grazer control. To investigate the association between limpets and algal cover, a quadrat survey was conducted on existing unused slipways in Pembrokeshire, Wales (UK). To investigate how alternative substrate designs influence refuge use of common limpets, Patella vulgata, on slipways, an experiment was carried out in which limpets were added to caged tiles with various refugia that were secured to a slipway in Pembrokeshire. Limpets were associated with lower cover of an opportunistic green alga (Ulva spp.) on existing slipways, suggesting they are controlling their abundance. In the experiment, limpet refuge use was higher than expected based in the proportional availability of refuge space during the day, and much lower and more in line with expectations at night. This shows that limpets rest in trample-safe refugia during periods of high foot traffic on slipways (daytime tidal emersion) and then move more freely throughout the surface of the slipway to graze at nighttime tidal emersion when the slipway is not in use.My findings indicate that, if slipway surfaces are modified to include refugia, limpets may be effective in cleaning the surface of slipways, without being trampled by foot/vehicle traffic. This would reduce the use of bleach and pressure washers to clean slipways, which are environmentally harmful to species on the slipway and adjacent ecosystems. E-Thesis Swansea University, Wales, UK Coastal ecology, slipways, grazers, limpets, algae, 12 6 2025 2025-06-12 A selection of content is redacted or is partially redacted from this thesis to protect sensitive and personal information. COLLEGE NANME COLLEGE CODE Swansea University Griffin, J. Master of Research MRes 2025-07-31T12:18:03.3486300 2025-07-31T12:14:56.7881739 Faculty of Science and Engineering School of Biosciences, Geography and Physics - Biosciences LILY NOBLES 1 70074__34886__77e31d6f9e824dac98444da296f44f66.pdf 2024_Nobles_L.final.70074.pdf 2025-07-31T12:17:42.1509726 Output 2156961 application/pdf E-Thesis – open access true Copyright: The author, Lily Nobles, 2024 true eng
title Preliminary assessment of the use of intertidal grazers to create ‘self-cleaning’ boat slipways
spellingShingle Preliminary assessment of the use of intertidal grazers to create ‘self-cleaning’ boat slipways
LILY NOBLES
title_short Preliminary assessment of the use of intertidal grazers to create ‘self-cleaning’ boat slipways
title_full Preliminary assessment of the use of intertidal grazers to create ‘self-cleaning’ boat slipways
title_fullStr Preliminary assessment of the use of intertidal grazers to create ‘self-cleaning’ boat slipways
title_full_unstemmed Preliminary assessment of the use of intertidal grazers to create ‘self-cleaning’ boat slipways
title_sort Preliminary assessment of the use of intertidal grazers to create ‘self-cleaning’ boat slipways
author_id_str_mv 68937da58470db5cf6b8730ac0f3cff2
author_id_fullname_str_mv 68937da58470db5cf6b8730ac0f3cff2_***_LILY NOBLES
author LILY NOBLES
author2 LILY NOBLES
format E-Thesis
publishDate 2025
institution Swansea University
college_str Faculty of Science and Engineering
hierarchytype
hierarchy_top_id facultyofscienceandengineering
hierarchy_top_title Faculty of Science and Engineering
hierarchy_parent_id facultyofscienceandengineering
hierarchy_parent_title Faculty of Science and Engineering
department_str School of Biosciences, Geography and Physics - Biosciences{{{_:::_}}}Faculty of Science and Engineering{{{_:::_}}}School of Biosciences, Geography and Physics - Biosciences
document_store_str 1
active_str 0
description Boat slipways present a unique management challenge to local authorities as they need to be maintained in an algal free state, so they are safe and accessible for recreational and commercial use. Current slipway management techniques are ineffective, short-lived, and environmentally harmful. There is, therefore, a global demand for the development of a new approach to slipway management. In this thesis, a new approach is proposed using limpets to maintain slipways in an algal free state through grazing. A major impediment to using grazers such as limpets to clean slipways is that slipways lack refugia and thus grazers are at high risk of being trampled by foot and vehicle traffic. Substrate refuges (e.g., grooves) may provide protection from such stressors and therefore allow for greater grazer control. To investigate the association between limpets and algal cover, a quadrat survey was conducted on existing unused slipways in Pembrokeshire, Wales (UK). To investigate how alternative substrate designs influence refuge use of common limpets, Patella vulgata, on slipways, an experiment was carried out in which limpets were added to caged tiles with various refugia that were secured to a slipway in Pembrokeshire. Limpets were associated with lower cover of an opportunistic green alga (Ulva spp.) on existing slipways, suggesting they are controlling their abundance. In the experiment, limpet refuge use was higher than expected based in the proportional availability of refuge space during the day, and much lower and more in line with expectations at night. This shows that limpets rest in trample-safe refugia during periods of high foot traffic on slipways (daytime tidal emersion) and then move more freely throughout the surface of the slipway to graze at nighttime tidal emersion when the slipway is not in use.My findings indicate that, if slipway surfaces are modified to include refugia, limpets may be effective in cleaning the surface of slipways, without being trampled by foot/vehicle traffic. This would reduce the use of bleach and pressure washers to clean slipways, which are environmentally harmful to species on the slipway and adjacent ecosystems.
published_date 2025-06-12T05:29:04Z
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score 11.453587

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