Table 7.8 – Evaluation of Residual Ecological Impact Due to Habitat Loss Within Luk Tei Tong Marsh

Impact Criteria	Residual Impact
Effects on health of biota or risk to life.	No impact.
Magnitude of impacts	Small in relation to total area of Luk Tei Tong Marsh.
Geographic extent of impacts	Negligible.
Duration and frequency of impacts	Loss of habitat would be permanent.
Size of the environment that may be effected.	Small in the context of Luk Tei Tong Marsh as a whole (1.3% of the total marsh area).
Reversibility of the impact	Loss of marsh habitat would last for the duration of the bypass channel operation phase. If the channel were to be decommissioned, marsh habitat could be re-instated
Ecological context	Luk Tei Tong Marsh as a whole is considered of moderate-high ecological value, although the area subject to residual habitat loss is considered of lower ecological value, being relatively dry, disturbed, and dominated by the exotic weed Mikania micrantha. The 0.2ha of Marsh area lost does not form an important habitat for wetland species of conservation interest.
International and regional importance	Luk Tei Tong Marsh supports some wetland species of regional conservation concern, although the marsh is not recognised as being of regional or global conservation importance. Furthermore, the area subject to residual habitat loss is considered of lower ecological value, being relatively dry, disturbed, and dominated by the exotic weed Mikania micrantha. The 0.2ha of Marsh area lost does not form an important habitat for wetland species of conservation interest.
Certainty regarding prediction of impact	High degree of certainty regarding habitat loss.
Residual Impact	Very Minor