Environmental impact assessment of a scrap tyre artificial reef

Published source details Collins K. (2002) Environmental impact assessment of a scrap tyre artificial reef. ICES Journal of Marine Science, 59, S243-S249.
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This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

	Action	Category
	Create artificial reefs of different 3-D structure and material used Action Link

Create artificial reefs of different 3-D structure and material used

A controlled study in 1998–1999 of an unclear number of artificial reef modules in Poole Bay, English Channel, UK (Collins et al. 2002) found that modules made of scrap tyres developed a similar sessile invertebrate community composition and species percentage cover compared to traditional artificial concrete modules, 10–11 months after deployment. Tetrahedral and cylindrical tyre modules had similar community composition to concrete modules (community data presented as graphical analyses). Tetrahedral and cylindrical tyre modules also had similar species groups percentage cover compared to concrete modules (see paper for specific groups). In July 1998, artificial modules (number unclear) arranged in eight groups were put on the seabed as artificial reefs alongside a pre-existing coal ash artificial reef. Each group had replicate modules of each of three reef types: tetrahedral tyre lattice (4–13 tyres/module), cylindrical tyre stack (6–7 tyres/module), or traditional concrete block (no tyres). Every two month until June 1999, divers photographed the sides of the modules (8 photographs/module), and invertebrate growing on them were identified, and their percentage cover assessed.

(Summarised by: Anaëlle Lemasson)