Effects of bioturbation and bioirrigation by lugworms (Arenicola marina) on physical and chemical sediment properties and implications for intertidal habitat succession

Volkenborn, Nils; Hedtkamp, S.; Beusekom, Justus E. E. van; Reise, Karsten

doi:10.1016/j.ecss.2007.05.001

Cited by 178 publications

(119 citation statements)

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“…It must be considered that sediment conditions (apart from being influenced by hydrodynamics) may also be influenced by bioengineering activities of benthic species, i.e., by the ''response variable'' itself. For example, the lugworm A. marina maintains mobile permeable sand (Volkenborn et al 2007) and seagrass accumulates fine sediment particles. This means that, in contrast to hydrodynamics, sediment is not always a direct driver of Wadden Sea ecosystems.…”

Section: Ecologically Relevant Predictor Variablesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Prediction of benthic community structure from environmental variables in a soft-sediment tidal basin (North Sea)

Puls¹,

Bernem²,

Eppel³

et al. 2011

Helgol Mar Res

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The relationship between benthos data and environmental data in 308 samples collected from the intertidal zone of the Hörnum tidal basin (German Wadden Sea) was analyzed. The environmental variables were current velocity, wave action, emersion time (all of which were obtained from a 2-year simulation with a numerical model) and four sediment grain-size parameters. A grouping of sample stations into five benthos clusters showed a largescale ([1 km) zoning of benthic assemblages on the tidal flats. The zoning varied with the distance from the shore. Three sample applications were examined to test the predictability of the benthic community structure based on environmental variables. In each application, the dataset was spatially partitioned into a training set and a test set. Predictions of benthic community structure in the test sets were attempted using a multinomial logistic regression model. Applying hydrodynamic predictors, the model performed significantly better than it did when sediment predictors were applied. The accuracy of model predictions, given by Cohen's kappa, varied between 0.14 and 0.49. The model results were consistent with independently attained evidence of the important role of physical factors in Wadden Sea tidal flat ecology.

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Section: Ecologically Relevant Predictor Variablesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Prediction of benthic community structure from environmental variables in a soft-sediment tidal basin (North Sea)

Puls¹,

Bernem²,

Eppel³

et al. 2011

Helgol Mar Res

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“…Details of the experimental set-up can be found in Volkenborn et al (2007a) and Volkenborn and Reise (2006) and details of the study site are provided by Reise (1985) and Austen (1994). Exclusion of lugworms on replicated (n = 6) 400 m 2 plots was achieved by inserting a 1-mm meshed net at 10 cm depth into the sediment in spring 2002.…”

Section: Study Area and Experimental Designmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sediment destabilizing and stabilizing bio-engineers on tidal flats: cascading effects of experimental exclusion

2008

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Bioturbating lugworms (Arenicola marina)were excluded from 400 m² plots of intertidal sand which initiated sequences of direct and indirect changes in the structure of the benthic community. The sessile, tube-building species Polydora cornuta and Lanice conchilega took advantage of the absence of lugworms and settled preferentially on lugworm exclusion plots. The protruding tubes provided attachment for an ephemeral development of algal tufts (Berkeleya colonies and Enteromorpha thalli) which in turn enhanced settlement of the juvenile drifting clams Mya arenaria and Macoma balthica. This causal chain of enhanced bivalve settlement in the presence of aboveground structures, like animal tubes and algae, on lugworm exclusion plots occurred in 2 years at diVerent tidal zones with diVerent tube builders, algae and juvenile clams. A signiWcant response of L. conchilega in a year with relatively low lugworm abundances at the entire site suggests that not only the actual absence of large bioturbators was responsible for the establishment of tube-dwelling species, but also a cumulative change of the sediment in exclusion plots since the onset of the experiment. While the sediment on lugworm plots remained permeable, Wne particles and organic matter accumulated at exclusion plots. It is suggested that these diVerences in sediment characteristics were the product of divergent benthic engineering by sediment destabilizing lugworms on control plots and sediment stabilizing species on exclusion plots. Cumulative changes of the sedimentary habitat and cascading eVects in the benthic community may explain the persistence of patches that are dominated by either sediment stabilizing or destabilizing species in the assemblage mosaic of intertidal sediments.

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“…Previous studies have shown that lugworms take considerably longer to re-burrow in seagrass compared with unvegetated sediment (Brenchley 1982). Also, irrigation and feeding activities of lugworms depend on sediment permeability; hence, lugworm maintain permeable conditions to their own benefit when dominating habitats (Volkenborn et al 2007). In contrast, the cohesive below-ground structures of seagrasses, such as in Z. muelleri, increase sediment compaction (Brenchley 1982;Siebert and Branch 2005;van Wesenbeeck et al 2007), thus creating less suitable conditions for lugworm feeding activities.…”

Section: Lugworm Distribution In Seagrass and Unvegetated Habitatsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Many recent studies have focussed on the role of benthic ecosystem engineering in intertidal softsediments, which are particularly amenable to habitat modifications (e.g. Berkenbusch and Rowden 2003;Bos et al 2007;Volkenborn et al 2007;Ekloef et al 2011). In these habitats, autogenic and allogenic ecosystem engineers generate complex networks of species interactions, mediated by the transformed sediment matrix (Reise 2002;Bouma et al 2009).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Lugworm (Abarenicola affinis) in seagrass and unvegetated habitats

2015

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In Otago, southern New Zealand, the lugworm Abarenicola affinis resides in neighbouring tidal inlets with and without seagrass (Zostera muelleri). A comparison of abundance, body size and biomass of A. affinis between seagrass habitat (Papanui Inlet) and unvegetated habitat (Hoopers Inlet) showed little seasonal variation of these parameters in each habitat and relatively similar abundances between both habitats. In contrast, lugworm biomass was considerably lower in the seagrass habitat due to the lack of large individuals compared with unvegetated habitat. In the seagrass habitat, there was a significant negative influence of Z. muelleri below-ground biomass on abundance and biomass of A. affinis, indicating that seagrass affected lugworm burrowing and/or feeding processes. In contrast to the unvegetated habitat, where lugworms spread relatively evenly across the intertidal area, lugworms were mostly restricted to the upper intertidal zone in the seagrass habitat. The findings suggest that the extensive seagrass bed in the mid and low intertidal zones of Papanui Inlet limited lugworm distribution in an otherwise suitable habitat. Whereas small lugworms colonised seagrass areas, the largest individuals occurred only in unvegetated sediment and seemed to be more hampered by the presence of seagrass than smaller individuals. The findings highlight negative feedback between antagonistic ecosystem engineers, with the potential of seagrass physical structures (autogenic engineering) to impact negatively on lugworm activity (allogenic engineering).

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Effects of bioturbation and bioirrigation by lugworms (Arenicola marina) on physical and chemical sediment properties and implications for intertidal habitat succession

Cited by 178 publications

References 50 publications

Prediction of benthic community structure from environmental variables in a soft-sediment tidal basin (North Sea)

Prediction of benthic community structure from environmental variables in a soft-sediment tidal basin (North Sea)

Sediment destabilizing and stabilizing bio-engineers on tidal flats: cascading effects of experimental exclusion

Lugworm (Abarenicola affinis) in seagrass and unvegetated habitats

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