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| Species |
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Zostera communities support a variety of specialised invertebrates (eg, Nematostella vectensis and Edwardsia ivelli). Other associates are waterfowl, marshland birds and sea birds.
The juxtaposition of freshwater, brackish / marine and lagoonal conditions means that biodiversity is high.
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Examples of action required when Key Habitat is close
to proposed mineral working site |
- Care should be taken to ensure aquifers are not polluted with salt due to unnatural lowering of water tables during dewatering periods.
- Conversely, freshwater aquifers / groundwaters may ‘pollute’ existing saline lagoons and change their ecology if dewatering activities change ground water flows.
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| Opportunities for action before and after extraction |
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- Existing saline lagoons should not be disturbed.
- Possible creation where workings go below water table on coastal sites or in areas where there are saline deposits near water table.
- There are opportunities here for the extraction industry to make a good contribution since the habitat is, by nature, a transient one, and therefore needs replacement. Opportunities for creation of new lagoons following extraction could be explored further as many current lagoons are the result of past extraction.
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