Martin Coombes

University of Oxford, Scool of Geography and the Environment, Faculty Member

University of Exeter in Cornwall, Geography, Post-Doc

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I am an environmental geographer with interest in the two-way interaction between organisms and the physical environment. My research lies within the field of biogeomorphology, and the allied concept of physical ecosystem engineering in ecology.

My research includes the role of microorganisms in the weathering of coastal rocks and engineering materials, the bioprotective functions of microorganisms, macroalgae and barnacles in the intertidal zone, ecological enhancement of hard coastal structures, bioturbation by large mammals, and theoretical development of biogeomorphology.

My work is highly applied, and I am actively involved in the development of guidance on the ecological design of hard coastal strucutres in collaboration with the Environment Agency, environmental consultants, and ports and harbours.
Supervisors: Heather Viles

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Elif SERTEL

Istanbul Technical University

Jayjit Majumdar

University of Kalyani

Kim M Cohen

Utrecht University

Catarina Vinagre

Universidade de Lisboa

Ana Vila-Concejo

The University of Sydney

David Seamon

Kansas State University

Daniel Robledo

Centro de Investigacion y Estudios Avanzados del IPN

Armando Marques-Guedes

UNL - New University of Lisbon

Ania Kotarba-Morley

Flinders University of South Australia

Damian Gaspar Gil

Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia

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Papers by Martin Coombes

Data for The bioprotective properties of the blue mussel (Mytilus edulis) on rocky shore platforms

AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts, Dec 1, 2020

The data was collected through a combination of laboratory simulations and field experiments duri... more

Data for The bioprotective properties of the blue mussel (Mytilus edulis) on rocky shore platforms

AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts, Dec 1, 2020

The data was collected through a combination of laboratory simulations and field experiments duri... more

Thermal buffering of concrete by seaweeds during a prolonged summer heatwave

EGU General Assembly Conference Abstracts, May 1, 2014

Thermal buffering of concrete by seaweeds during a prolonged summer heatwave

EGU General Assembly Conference Abstracts, May 1, 2014

Evaluating the influence of ivy canopy cover on brickwork: A case study from Warnham, West Sussex, UK

EGU General Assembly Conference Abstracts, May 1, 2014

Biogeomorphology

International Encyclopedia of Geography, Mar 17, 2020

Evaluating the robustness of nature-based solutions: future resilience of sedum-based soft capping as a conservation approach for heritage sites in Britain and Ireland

Physical Geography

Engaging industry and government agencies with applied research: ecologicalenhancement of hard coastal structures

This case study stems from a collaborative, south-west England based research project that was jo... more This case study stems from a collaborative, south-west England based research project that was jointly funded by the Environment Agency (EA) and Great Western Research (GWR), and undertaken by academics at the University of Exeter and in close collaboration with Professor Richard Thompson at the University of Plymouth. The research examined the two-way interplay between organisms and geomorphology in hard coastal engineering. An integrated (‘bio-geomorphological’) approach was used to improve understanding of how animals and plants use artificial coastal structures (such as seawalls) as habitats, and how they might be better designed for environmental gains. This highly inter-disciplinary work involved close collaboration between experts in ecology, geomorphology, geology and environmental policy and management. The project had strong experimental and theoretical components (developing novel field and laboratory procedures in the south-west, and new conceptual frameworks for scienti...

Marine Hard Substrate Communities

Marine Biology A Functional Approach to the Oceans and their Organisms, 2021

Intertidal biodiversity and physical habitat complexity on historic masonry walls: A comparison with modern concrete infrastructure and natural rocky cliffs

Marine Pollution Bulletin

Biogeomorphology in the Anthropocene: A hierarchical, traits-based approach

Geomorphology

No evidence that seaweed cover enhances the deterioration of natural‐cement‐based mortar in intertidal environments

Earth Surface Processes and Landforms

Bioprotection and Maritime Built Heritage: A Preliminary Investigation of the Protective Role of Seaweed on Natural Cement

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Historic maritime structures, including harbours and breakwaters that ar... more &amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Historic maritime structures, including harbours and breakwaters that are valued as heritage assets, are common along the coastlines of Europe. As with other hard substrates in coastal environments, these structures often support the growth of marine wildlife. As well as contributing to the geomorphic evolution of rocky coasts, sessile organisms including those that form dense biological covers (e.g., seaweed, barnacles, mussels etc.) alter engineering materials by both enhancing and retarding weathering and erosion. Due to their age and traditional construction, historic maritime structures may support unique abiotic-biotic interactions. However, compared to natural rock and modern infrastructure constructed of concrete, there is limited understanding of how biogeomorphological processes operate on built heritage assets. This includes on materials such as natural cement that is commonly used as a hydraulic binder in the construction and restoration of maritime built heritage across Europe. An improved understanding of these interactions should allow practitioners responsible for the conservation of marine biodiversity and the historic built environment to make more informed decisions about their long-term sustainable management.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;As part of a larger project exploring the two-way interactions between marine wildlife and historic maritime structures, this study assesses the influence of seaweed canopies (&amp;lt;em&amp;gt;Fucus vesiculosus &amp;lt;/em&amp;gt;and &amp;lt;em&amp;gt;F. serratus&amp;lt;/em&amp;gt;) on the deterioration of natural cement. After six months exposure to intertidal conditions at Portland Port (Dorset), UK, sample blocks of natural cement attached to substrates with 95&amp;amp;#8211;100% seaweed cover were compared to those attached to bare surfaces. Preliminary analysis suggests that surface hardness, surface roughness, and material loss vary between seaweed-covered blocks and those left uncovered, indicating they may have experienced different levels of breakdown during exposure to intertidal weathering and erosion. Monitoring of near-surface microclimates showed that temperature extremes and fluctuations were significantly dampened under seaweed canopies compared to adjacent areas of uncolonised rock. As mechanical rock weathering processes are influenced by surface temperature regimes, we infer that these stabilising effects may translate to a reduction in the efficacy of particular rock breakdown processes over a relatively short period of time.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Overall, this study presents the first empirical evidence of the bioprotective potential of seaweed on materials commonly used to construct and repair historic maritime structures. This implies that opportunities exist for the application of nature-based solutions for the management and protection of historic structures in marine environments alongside habitat provision and biodiversity conservation. Future work is now needed to examine the geomorphic roles of seaweed and other marine organisms on different types of materials used in built heritage conservation, and the extent to which the impacts of these organisms vary in time and space in relation to other biological, chemical, and physical agents of change.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

Identifying priorities for the joint conservation of maritime built heritage and marine biodiversity: An assessment of shoreline engineering on the Isles of Scilly, UK, using historical datasets

Ocean & Coastal Management

Managing Marine Growth on Historic Maritime Structures: An Assessment of Perceptions and Current Management Practices

Frontiers in Marine Science

Maritime built heritage (e.g., historic harbors, breakwaters, etc.) is found widely along the coa... more Maritime built heritage (e.g., historic harbors, breakwaters, etc.) is found widely along the coastlines of Europe. Due to its age and traditional construction, built heritage may represent important and largely unidentified hotspots of biodiversity in marine and coastal environments. At the same time, marine growth (e.g., seaweed, mussels, barnacles, etc.) found on these structures may provide both deteriorative and protective functions. To ensure future research focusing on the two-way interactions between marine growth and built heritage addresses the concerns of those responsible for their management, attitudes towards the colonization and growth of marine wildlife must first be evaluated. Such attitudes will shape how marine growth is managed at these sites, which in turn may influence biodiversity and built heritage conservation and any associated values. This study assesses how the growth of sessile species and other surface-colonizing organisms is currently perceived and man...

The bioprotective properties of the blue mussel (Mytilus edulis) on intertidal rocky shore platforms

Marine Geology

Biogeomorphology of Coastal Structures: Understanding interactions between hard substrata and colonising organisms as a tool for ecological enhancement

Urbanisation is increasingly recognised as a major ecological pressure at the coast. By 2035, the... more Urbanisation is increasingly recognised as a major ecological pressure at the coast. By 2035, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs will have to spend £1 billion each year on flood defence and erosion control infrastructure if current levels of protection are to be sustained in England and Wales; this represents a substantial commitment to building new hard structures. Ecological research has shown that structures like seawalls, breakwaters, and harbour and port infrastructure are poor surrogates for undisturbed rocky shores. This, alongside substantial international policy drivers, has led to an interest in the ways in which structures might be enhanced for ecological gain. Virtually all of this research has been undertaken by ecologists, while the contribution of geomorphological understanding has not been fully recognised. This thesis presents an assessment of the two-way interactions between colonising organisms and the materials used to build hard coastal structures under a framework of biogeomorphology. The influence of material type and small-scale surface texture on early colonisation is assessed alongside detailed observations of the ways in which biota are involved in the alteration of substratum properties and behaviours through weathering and erosion in the intertidal zone. The research demonstrates that biotic (organisms) and abiotic (material substrata) components of coastal structures are inherently linked at various spatial and temporal scales through complex biogeomorphic interactions and feedbacks. Importantly, these interactions have consequences for the subsequent operation of ecological and geomorphological processes that are of relevance to urban marine ecology, weathering and rock coast geomorphology, and engineering. This thesis demonstrates the considerable potential to manipulate substratum-biota interactions on artificial structures for ecological gain, both directly and indirectly. More broadly, the explicitly interdisciplinary methodological approach adopted shows the value and necessity of integrated research for achieving useful, applied outcomes. ABBREVIATIONS ANOVA Analysis of Variance BEI Backscattered Electron Imaging BRE Building Research Establishment

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The Bio-Protective Role of a Biological Encrustation

Benthic organisms can form a persistent biological layer that mediates processes of rock deterior... more Benthic organisms can form a persistent biological layer that mediates processes of rock deterioration and limits the degradation of the underlying surface. In this study we investigated the bioprotective potential of barnacle encrustations against salt weathering processes, and discuss their possible role in enhancing the durability of coastal engineering structures.

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Maritime built heritage and marine wildlife: Remote sensing as a tool to identify and prioritise integrated conservation in coastal environments

Maritime built heritage is threatened by natural hazards and human activities around the... more Maritime built heritage is threatened by natural hazards and human activities around the world. Likewise, marine wildlife is increasingly threatened by the effects of climate change and human development. Due to their age and traditional construction, maritime built heritage (e.g. historic harbours) may provide unique habitats for diverse assemblages of marine wildlife. Yet, as aspects of built heritage are often missing in assessments of marine infrastructure, identifying which heritage assets have the potential to provide the greatest ecological benefits remains a challenge. An improved understanding of the ecological importance of maritime built heritage can enhance arguments for its continued protection, maintenance and repair. At the same time, this may present new opportunities to conserve important and largely unidentified hotspots of marine biodiversity.Using preliminary results from the Isles of Scilly, UK, this study presents a novel method for quantifying the full extent of marine engineering structures (including heritage assets) at a regional scale, and for identifying priority structures for joint biodiversity and heritage conservation.Remote sensing data were considered alongside historic environment data and records of modern coastal defences in a rapid desk-based assessment to create a complete inventory of marine structures along the entire coastline of the Isles of Scilly. In total, 68 structures were recorded (6,180 m in length), with over half registered as heritage assets. LiDAR and aerial photography were used to determine the site characteristics of each structure (e.g. shore position). This allowed for an initial assessment of the potential ecological importance of these structures when considered alongside structural information, including building age and material. By evaluating the ecological potential and heritage value of each structure using a novel scoring system, priorities for conservation and other managed interventions are identified. This includes listed buildings and scheduled monuments that due to their construction features and shore position are most likely to support diverse marine assemblages.Combined ecological-heritage evaluations incorporating remote sensing datasets allow for the identification of those structures with the greatest potential for the integrated conservation of built heritage and marine wildlife. Research is now needed to develop this method further, ground-truth its outputs, and test its application in other geographical locations and at varying scales.