Recreational scuba diving in a groundwater ecosystem: Disturbance mechanisms, ecological impacts and stakeholder perceptions
Abstract Ecological damage by scuba divers has been extensively studied in marine ecosystems, particularly coral reefs, whereas the impacts on freshwater environments such as groundwater springs is unknown. In the Silfra groundwater fissure in Iceland, a vast increase in diver entries has occurred d...
Published in: | Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems |
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crwiley:10.1002/aqc.3308 2024-03-17T08:58:38+00:00 Recreational scuba diving in a groundwater ecosystem: Disturbance mechanisms, ecological impacts and stakeholder perceptions Þorbjörnsson, Jóhann Garðar Ólafsdóttir, Jónína Herdís Kristjánsson, Bjarni Kristófer Chambers, Catherine Burns, Georgette Leah Icelandic Centre for Research National Geographic Society 2020 http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/aqc.3308 https://api.wiley.com/onlinelibrary/tdm/v1/articles/10.1002%2Faqc.3308 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/aqc.3308 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full-xml/10.1002/aqc.3308 en eng Wiley http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/termsAndConditions#vor Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems volume 30, issue 5, page 1012-1022 ISSN 1052-7613 1099-0755 Nature and Landscape Conservation Ecology Aquatic Science journal-article 2020 crwiley https://doi.org/10.1002/aqc.3308 2024-02-22T01:14:06Z Abstract Ecological damage by scuba divers has been extensively studied in marine ecosystems, particularly coral reefs, whereas the impacts on freshwater environments such as groundwater springs is unknown. In the Silfra groundwater fissure in Iceland, a vast increase in diver entries has occurred during the last decade, prompting concerns over potential ecosystem impacts and visitor carrying capacity. Here, a mixed‐method approach was used to assess the impacts of scuba diving in Silfra. (a) Divers were recorded under water to observe the mechanisms of diver‐related disturbances, (b) benthic material was collected along transects in Silfra and the undisturbed fissure Flosagjá to compare biofilm biomass and zoobenthic communities between and within fissures, and (c) the perceptions and experiences of stakeholders surrounding the dive tourism in Silfra were explored. Underwater observations showed that 91.4% of the divers caused at least a single disturbance, resulting in biofilm detachments and/or sediment stirring. Diver fins caused the most frequent disturbances, predominantly through fin‐generated currents but also by directly contacting the substrate. Benthic biofilm biomass was lower in Silfra than Flosagjá and exhibited a negative correlation with dive‐use. Some disturbance‐tolerant zoobenthic groups exhibited moderate to strong correlations with dive‐use. All stakeholders had negative perceptions towards increasing diver entries, but although entry limitation could improve tourism quality, disturbance might only minimally be reduced as springs like Silfra may be particularly sensitive. Springs are characteristically stable and uniform environments that can be vulnerable to disturbance. Their use for scuba diving should be carefully managed through a holistic approach and an active collaboration between all stakeholders. Article in Journal/Newspaper Iceland Wiley Online Library Silfra ENVELOPE(-21.124,-21.124,64.255,64.255) Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems 30 5 1012 1022 |
institution |
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Wiley Online Library |
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crwiley |
language |
English |
topic |
Nature and Landscape Conservation Ecology Aquatic Science |
spellingShingle |
Nature and Landscape Conservation Ecology Aquatic Science Þorbjörnsson, Jóhann Garðar Ólafsdóttir, Jónína Herdís Kristjánsson, Bjarni Kristófer Chambers, Catherine Burns, Georgette Leah Recreational scuba diving in a groundwater ecosystem: Disturbance mechanisms, ecological impacts and stakeholder perceptions |
topic_facet |
Nature and Landscape Conservation Ecology Aquatic Science |
description |
Abstract Ecological damage by scuba divers has been extensively studied in marine ecosystems, particularly coral reefs, whereas the impacts on freshwater environments such as groundwater springs is unknown. In the Silfra groundwater fissure in Iceland, a vast increase in diver entries has occurred during the last decade, prompting concerns over potential ecosystem impacts and visitor carrying capacity. Here, a mixed‐method approach was used to assess the impacts of scuba diving in Silfra. (a) Divers were recorded under water to observe the mechanisms of diver‐related disturbances, (b) benthic material was collected along transects in Silfra and the undisturbed fissure Flosagjá to compare biofilm biomass and zoobenthic communities between and within fissures, and (c) the perceptions and experiences of stakeholders surrounding the dive tourism in Silfra were explored. Underwater observations showed that 91.4% of the divers caused at least a single disturbance, resulting in biofilm detachments and/or sediment stirring. Diver fins caused the most frequent disturbances, predominantly through fin‐generated currents but also by directly contacting the substrate. Benthic biofilm biomass was lower in Silfra than Flosagjá and exhibited a negative correlation with dive‐use. Some disturbance‐tolerant zoobenthic groups exhibited moderate to strong correlations with dive‐use. All stakeholders had negative perceptions towards increasing diver entries, but although entry limitation could improve tourism quality, disturbance might only minimally be reduced as springs like Silfra may be particularly sensitive. Springs are characteristically stable and uniform environments that can be vulnerable to disturbance. Their use for scuba diving should be carefully managed through a holistic approach and an active collaboration between all stakeholders. |
author2 |
Icelandic Centre for Research National Geographic Society |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Þorbjörnsson, Jóhann Garðar Ólafsdóttir, Jónína Herdís Kristjánsson, Bjarni Kristófer Chambers, Catherine Burns, Georgette Leah |
author_facet |
Þorbjörnsson, Jóhann Garðar Ólafsdóttir, Jónína Herdís Kristjánsson, Bjarni Kristófer Chambers, Catherine Burns, Georgette Leah |
author_sort |
Þorbjörnsson, Jóhann Garðar |
title |
Recreational scuba diving in a groundwater ecosystem: Disturbance mechanisms, ecological impacts and stakeholder perceptions |
title_short |
Recreational scuba diving in a groundwater ecosystem: Disturbance mechanisms, ecological impacts and stakeholder perceptions |
title_full |
Recreational scuba diving in a groundwater ecosystem: Disturbance mechanisms, ecological impacts and stakeholder perceptions |
title_fullStr |
Recreational scuba diving in a groundwater ecosystem: Disturbance mechanisms, ecological impacts and stakeholder perceptions |
title_full_unstemmed |
Recreational scuba diving in a groundwater ecosystem: Disturbance mechanisms, ecological impacts and stakeholder perceptions |
title_sort |
recreational scuba diving in a groundwater ecosystem: disturbance mechanisms, ecological impacts and stakeholder perceptions |
publisher |
Wiley |
publishDate |
2020 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/aqc.3308 https://api.wiley.com/onlinelibrary/tdm/v1/articles/10.1002%2Faqc.3308 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/aqc.3308 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full-xml/10.1002/aqc.3308 |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(-21.124,-21.124,64.255,64.255) |
geographic |
Silfra |
geographic_facet |
Silfra |
genre |
Iceland |
genre_facet |
Iceland |
op_source |
Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems volume 30, issue 5, page 1012-1022 ISSN 1052-7613 1099-0755 |
op_rights |
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/termsAndConditions#vor |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1002/aqc.3308 |
container_title |
Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems |
container_volume |
30 |
container_issue |
5 |
container_start_page |
1012 |
op_container_end_page |
1022 |
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1793768335087763456 |