Intertidal seawalls as habitats for molluscs

Coastal urbanization changes intertidal shorelines, by alteration and destruction of natural habitat and addition of new built habitat. In Sydney Harbour, New South Wales, Australia, up to 50% of the shoreline is composed of constructed habitat, particularly seawalls. Research has shown that many components of intertidal assemblages live on seawalls, but patterns of abundance and diversity are very variable. Seawalls differ physically from natural shores in a number of ways that are likely to influence distribution and abundances of intertidal molluscs, which are very important determinants of structure of intertidal assemblages.