The feedbacks among tidal sand waves, benthic organisms and sediment sorting processes

Damveld, Johan Hendrik

doi:10.3990/1.9789036550000

Cited by 1 publication

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“…Modeling studies show that artificial tubes mimicking the sand mason worm (Lanice conchilega) affect near-bed flow velocities, which result in sediment trapping (Borsje et al, 2014) and affect sand wave morphology (Damveld et al, 2019(Damveld et al, , 2020. A preliminary model run showed that the presence of tube-worm patches can decrease sand wave migration speed (Damveld, 2020). Hence, S. spinulosa reef patches might be able to reduce megaripple dynamics to levels they can cope with, enabling them to persist.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Conservation Implications of Sabellaria spinulosa Reef Patches in a Dynamic Sandy-Bottom Environment

et al. 2021

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Biogenic reefs form biodiversity hotspots and are key components of marine ecosystems, making them priority habitats for nature conservation. However, the conservation status of biogenic reefs generally depends on their size and stability. Dynamic, patchy reefs may therefore be excluded from protection. Here, we studied epibenthos and epifauna density, richness, and community composition of patchy, dynamic Sabellaria spinulosa (ross worm) reefs in the North Sea. This study was conducted by comparing boxcore (endobenthos) and video transect (epifauna) data from two research campaigns in 2017 and 2019 to the Brown Bank area on the Dutch Continental Shelf, where S. spinulosa reefs were first discovered in 2017. The Brown Bank area is characterized by dynamic, migratory bedforms at multiple scales which potentially affect biogenic reef stability. We showed that S. spinulosa habitats had a patchy distribution and alternated with habitats comprised of plain sand. Average S. spinulosa habitat patch size was 5.57 ± 0.99 m and 3.94 ± 0.22 m in 2017 and 2019, respectively (mean ± SE), which especially in 2019 closely resembled the small-scale megaripple bedforms. Contrary to the endobenthos communities that were unaffected by S. spinulosa, epifauna density and species richness were at least two times higher in S. spinulosa habitats compared to sandy habitats, resulting in different community compositions between the two habitat types. We showed that S. spinulosa persisted in the area for almost 2 years. Although the stability of individual patches remained unclear, we demonstrated that even patchy biogenic reefs may promote density and local biodiversity of mobile, epibenthic species, very likely as a result of increased habitat heterogeneity provided by reef habitat patches. This indicates that patchy biogenic reefs that occur in dynamic environments may also have high ecological value and their conservation status should be (re)considered to ensure their protection.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Conservation Implications of Sabellaria spinulosa Reef Patches in a Dynamic Sandy-Bottom Environment

et al. 2021

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The feedbacks among tidal sand waves, benthic organisms and sediment sorting processes

Abstract: Smart and sustainable design for o shore operations in a sandy seabed) with project number 871.15.011, which is (partly) nanced by the Dutch Research Council (NWO).

Cited by 1 publication

References 182 publications

Conservation Implications of Sabellaria spinulosa Reef Patches in a Dynamic Sandy-Bottom Environment

Conservation Implications of Sabellaria spinulosa Reef Patches in a Dynamic Sandy-Bottom Environment

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