Modelling the effects of benthic fauna on carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus dynamics in the Baltic Sea

Ehrnsten, Eva; Savchuk, Oleg; Gustafsson, Bo

doi:10.5194/bg-19-3337-2022

Cited by 7 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 93 publications

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“…Recent advances in modeling approaches have included e.g. improved representation of the role of benthic substrate in driving biogeochemical cycling (e.g., European Regional Seas Ecosystem Model [ERSEM], Aldridge et al, 2017) and the inclusion of benthic bioturbation and bioirrigation (e. g., BAltic sea Long-Term large Scale Eutrophication Model [BALTSEM], Ehrnsten et al, 2022;Bottom RedOx Model [BROM v.1.1], Yakushev et al, 2017). However, all of the studies listed above point to the need for improved modeling tools for capturing the complexity of the interactions between benthic biota and biogeochemical cycling.…”

Section: Studymentioning

confidence: 99%

The interplay between terrestrial organic matter and benthic macrofauna: Framework, synthesis, and perspectives

et al. 2023

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Ecosystems are shaped by physical, chemical, and biological drivers, which affect the quality and quantity of basal energy sources, with impacts that cascade to higher trophic levels. In coastal, shelf, and marine habitats, terrestrial‐derived organic matter (ter‐OM) can be a key driver of ecosystem structure and function. Climate change is expected to alter land–ocean connectivity in many regions, with a broad range of potential consequences for impacted ecosystems, particularly in the coastal zone. The benthic compartment is an important link between the large organic carbon pools stored on land and the marine environment. At the same time, the macrofauna plays a key role in the processing, biological uptake, and fate of ter‐OM in the aquatic environment, with implications for coastal ecosystem functioning, benthic–pelagic coupling, carbon burial, and biogeochemical cycles. However, information about relationships between land–ocean connectivity (including ter‐OM loads) and coastal benthic community responses remains spread across disciplines, and a broad perspective on the potential impacts of a changing climate is still missing. Here, we explore the interplay between benthic macrofaunal communities and ter‐OM through a paired narrative and research weaving analysis, which combines systematic mapping and bibliometric analysis. The review describes the past development and status of the research field as well as the lack of information in some geographical regions and habitats worldwide. We highlight the role of macrofauna in carbon cycling and the growing evidence that ter‐OM plays a key role in the structure and function of benthic communities, not strictly limited to estuarine habitats. Climate change poses challenges for the prediction of future ter‐OM fluxes and potential macrofauna responses to this additional stressor, thus requiring new methodological approaches (e.g., multimarker approaches for OM characterization) and long‐term monitoring programs across different habitats and spatiotemporal scales.

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Section: Studymentioning

confidence: 99%

The interplay between terrestrial organic matter and benthic macrofauna: Framework, synthesis, and perspectives

et al. 2023

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“…It is important to note that there has been no significant decrease in TN concentration in the Baltic Sea, despite enormous efforts to reduce external inputs from surface waters. The inflow of nutrients from sedimentary sources (internal sources) also plays a significant role in the eutrophication of the Baltic Sea [66][67][68][69].…”

Section: Spatial and Temporal Variations In Nutrient Concentrationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Nutrient Loadings and Exchange between the Curonian Lagoon and the Baltic Sea: Changes over the Past Two Decades (2001–2020)

Stakėnienė,

Jokšas,

Kriaučiūnienė

et al. 2023

Water

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The Baltic Sea faces prolonged eutrophication due to nutrient pollution, with the Nemunas River regulating nutrient input via the Curonian Lagoon. In this study, we aimed to assess the seasonal variations and changes over the past two decades in nutrient concentrations within the Curonian Lagoon–Baltic Sea transitional zone, and to identify the main factors affecting these trends. We observed slightly reduced nutrient levels in the lagoon and the Klaipėda Strait and increased nitrogen loadings in the Baltic Sea nearshore over time. Between 2007 and 2009, the average total nitrogen (TN) concentrations in the Klaipeda Strait and the Baltic Sea were 1.60 ± 0.25 and 0.54 ± 0.04 mg/L, respectively, while the average total phosphorus (TP) concentrations in the Klaipeda Strait and the Baltic Sea were 0.061 ± 0.04 and 0.03 ± 0.01 mg/L, respectively. Between 2018 and 2020, TN concentrations in the Strait and the Sea were 1.2 ± 0.36 and 0.65 ± 0.32 mg/L, respectively, while the average TP concentrations in the Klaipeda Strait and the Baltic Sea were 0.025 ± 0.002 and 0.021 ± 0.002 mg/L, respectively. The average annual amount of TN and TP entering the Curonian Lagoon from the sea was 2736 t and 162 t, respectively. Significantly higher nutrient influx to the Baltic Sea was recorded reaching 32,302 t for TN and 1278 t for TP. Nutrient concentrations correlated with water temperature, salinity, and dissolved oxygen, influenced by seasonal runoff patterns and climate change. Over time, there have been noticeable shifts in environmental conditions, including rising temperatures, decreasing oxygen levels, salinity changes, increased evaporation, and reduced precipitation.

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“…Benthic fauna may contribute towards the transformation and transport of organic matter, the transport of oxygen, nutrient cycling, and secondary production [4][5][6][7]. Benthic fauna can also be important in the provision of habitats e.g., [8][9][10] or in altering local physiochemical conditions [11], topography [12], or sediment availability through the bioturbation of sediments [11]. As different taxa perform different roles in Diversity 2023, 15, 814 2 of 28 the maintenance and regulation of ecological processes, a diverse benthic fauna is widely considered to positively impact upon ecosystem stability and function [13,14].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Pan-Atlantic Comparison of Deep-Sea Macro- and Megabenthos

et al. 2023

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Deep-sea benthic fauna is vital for a well-functioning marine ecosystem but is increasingly under threat from a changing environment. To monitor and conserve this fauna, an understanding of their large-scale spatial and bathymetric distribution and their environmental drivers is necessary. In this study, we conduct a multivariate analysis on abundance benthic fauna data collected at the phylum and multitaxon levels using an epibenthic sledge (EBS) across the Atlantic, and identify the environmental factors that affect such data. Our findings show a decrease in abundance with depth in most of the Atlantic but find relatively heterogeneous abundances with depth within the Southern Ocean. Principal component analyses indicate differences in environmental conditions south of the Antarctic Polar Front (~52° S), outlining contrasts in the quantities of macronutrients and physical factors. Despite this, community composition seemed markedly similar throughout the Atlantic with the Antarctic Circumpolar Current seemingly not affecting benthic community composition for higher taxonomic levels. Those differences that did occur were largely caused by benthic chlorophyll, benthic iron, and surface silicate through a Bio-ENV. Overall, we argue that further large-scale spatial and bathymetric distribution studies are important amid environmental changes that are driving shifts in benthic community abundance and composition.

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Modelling the effects of benthic fauna on carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus dynamics in the Baltic Sea

Cited by 7 publications

References 93 publications

The interplay between terrestrial organic matter and benthic macrofauna: Framework, synthesis, and perspectives

The interplay between terrestrial organic matter and benthic macrofauna: Framework, synthesis, and perspectives

Nutrient Loadings and Exchange between the Curonian Lagoon and the Baltic Sea: Changes over the Past Two Decades (2001–2020)

Pan-Atlantic Comparison of Deep-Sea Macro- and Megabenthos

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