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Bioturbation in Marine Ecosystems: Current and Future Challenges
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Bioturbation in Marine Ecosystems: Current and Future Challenges

A special issue of Journal of Marine Science and Engineering (ISSN 2077-1312). This special issue belongs to the section "Marine Biology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (10 September 2021) | Viewed by 8001

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Cintia Organo Quintana

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Biology, University of Southern Denmark, 5230 Odense, Denmark
Interests: bioturbation; sediment biogeochemistry; ecosystem functioning; marine ecosystems; coastal restoration

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue is focused on the current and future challenges of bioturbation studies in marine ecosystems. With the growing pressure of climate change and the need for nature-based solutions and preservation of biodiversity, we still lack knowledge on important mechanisms governing the functioning of ecosystems, particularly when the benthic fauna component is considered. Therefore, we invite articles based on laboratory and field experiments and on the bioturbation of single, invasive, multiple species or whole benthic-fauna community. Topics relating to bioturbation and key ecosystem functions, such as influence on carbon degradation/burial, nutrient regeneration, microbial interactions, alkalinity/carbonate dissolution, and effects on post-depositional processes of blue carbon in saltmarshes, seagrasses, and mangroves, are welcome. New techniques are also required for understanding and upscaling single species or community bioturbation effects to whole ecosystem assessments, for example, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), underwater drones, data treatment with machine learning, new sensors, and proper proxies for C mineralization. These contributions will pave the way for extended knowledge of complex and context dependent bioturbation processes and hopefully advance ecological, biogeochemical, and climate models as well as the development of restoration actions.

Dr. Cintia Organo Quintana
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Journal of Marine Science and Engineering is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Bioturbation
  • Whole-community bioturbation
  • Sediment biogeochemistry
  • C, N, P cycling
  • Ecosystem functioning
  • Tropical and temperate marine ecosystems
  • Drones
  • Sensors

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

10 pages, 2735 KiB  
Article
The Sediment Reworking of the Mud Shrimp Laomedia sp. (Crustacea: Laomediidae) with Tidal Conditions in the Intertidal Sediments of Gomso Bay, Korea
by Jaehwan Seo and Bon Joo Koo
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2021, 9(11), 1251; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse9111251 - 11 Nov 2021
Viewed by 1261
Abstract
Although the thalassinidean mud shrimp Laomedia sp. is one of the most abundant species in the upper tidal flats along the west coast of Korea, little is known of its ecological characteristics and bioturbation effects on intertidal sediments. This study estimated the sediment [...] Read more.
Although the thalassinidean mud shrimp Laomedia sp. is one of the most abundant species in the upper tidal flats along the west coast of Korea, little is known of its ecological characteristics and bioturbation effects on intertidal sediments. This study estimated the sediment reworking rate (SRR) of Laomedia sp. by quantifying in situ sediments ejected from the burrows via direct entrapment and evaluated the effects of tidal conditions on the SRR. The amount of expelled sediments from individual burrows was significantly related to the duration of submergence, whereas SRR showed an increasing trend as elevation increased. The SRR of Laomedia sp. was estimated to be 40 g ind.−1 d−1 and the annual SRR of this species was 72.2 kg m−2 yr−1 based on the density in the study area, which is very high compared to other thalassinidean shrimp. These findings suggest that Laomedia sp. is an important bioturbator in intertidal sediments, and tidal conditions should be considered when evaluating the SRR of this species. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bioturbation in Marine Ecosystems: Current and Future Challenges)
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15 pages, 1300 KiB  
Article
Cockle as Second Intermediate Host of Trematode Parasites: Consequences for Sediment Bioturbation and Nutrient Fluxes across the Benthic Interface
by Anaïs Richard, Xavier de Montaudouin, Auriane Rubiello and Olivier Maire
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2021, 9(7), 749; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse9070749 - 06 Jul 2021
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 1800
Abstract
Trematode parasites are distributed worldwide and can severely impact host populations. However, their influence on ecosystem functioning through the alteration of host engineering behaviours remains largely unexplored. This study focuses on a common host parasite system in marine coastal environments, i.e., the trematode [...] Read more.
Trematode parasites are distributed worldwide and can severely impact host populations. However, their influence on ecosystem functioning through the alteration of host engineering behaviours remains largely unexplored. This study focuses on a common host parasite system in marine coastal environments, i.e., the trematode Himasthla elongata, infecting the edible cockle Cerastoderma edule as second intermediate host. A laboratory experiment was conducted to investigate the indirect effects of metacercarial infection on sediment bioturbation and biogeochemical fluxes at the sediment water interface. Our results revealed that, despite high parasite intensity, the sediment reworking and bioirrigation rates, as well as nutrient fluxes, were not impacted. This finding was unexpected since previous studies showed that metacercarial infection impairs the physiological condition of cockles and induces a mechanical obstruction of their feet, thus altering their burrowing capacity. There are several explanations for such contrasting results. Firstly, the alteration of cockle behavior could arise over a longer time period following parasite infection. Secondly, the modulation of cockle bioturbation by parasites could be more pronounced in older specimens burying deeper. Thirdly, the intensity of the deleterious impacts of metacercariae could strongly vary across parasite species. Lastly, metacercarial infection alters cockle fitness through an interaction with other biotic and abiotic environmental stressors. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bioturbation in Marine Ecosystems: Current and Future Challenges)
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18 pages, 2444 KiB  
Article
Distribution and Sediment Selection by the Mud Shrimp Upogebia noronhensis (Crustacea: Thalassinidea) and the Potential Effects on the Associated Macroinfaunal Community
by Paulo Yukio G. Sumida, Arthur Z. Güth, Cintia Organo Quintana and Ana M. S. Pires-Vanin
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2020, 8(12), 1032; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse8121032 - 18 Dec 2020
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2133
Abstract
Burrowers such as thalassinideans remobilize sediment in benthic ecosystems, altering granulometry, enhancing organic matter cycling and oxygenation. We characterized the distribution of the mud shrimp Upogebia noronhensis and the associated macroinfauna along a depth and granulometric gradient in a shallow subtidal area in [...] Read more.
Burrowers such as thalassinideans remobilize sediment in benthic ecosystems, altering granulometry, enhancing organic matter cycling and oxygenation. We characterized the distribution of the mud shrimp Upogebia noronhensis and the associated macroinfauna along a depth and granulometric gradient in a shallow subtidal area in the southern Brazilian coast. Mud shrimp densities were estimated by burrow opening count using 0.25 m2 quadrats in three sediment zones: sand, sand-mud transition and mud. Macroinfaunal community descriptors and sediment granulometric characteristics were assessed. U. noronhensis average density varied from 0.6 to 145 individuals m−2 and was highest in the transition zone and lowest in the sand zone. Macrofauna in the sand zone was at least three times more abundant and 1.2 times richer, averaging 436.3 organisms and 39 species, while the transition and mud zones were more even in species distribution (species evenness > 0.7). The shrimp presence seems to be linked to a coarse sand content <80% and clay and silt <40% in the sediment, a compromise between gallery construction ability and filter-feeding suitability. High densities and aggregated distribution of mud shrimp, combined with alteration of sediment grain composition and organic matter, are likely to affect macroinfaunal abundance nearby the burrows. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bioturbation in Marine Ecosystems: Current and Future Challenges)
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8 pages, 1228 KiB  
Article
Polychaete Invasion May Lead to Biogeochemical Change in Host Marine Environment
by Cintia O. Quintana and Erik Kristensen
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2020, 8(11), 940; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse8110940 - 19 Nov 2020
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1783
Abstract
Marine invasive species may modify their host environment by altering ecosystem biogeochemistry. We hypothesized that the invasive polychaete Marenzelleria viridis in Baltic Sea areas increases sulfate reduction (SR) in sediment micro-zones surrounding its burrow. Consequently, higher free porewater sulfide (H2S) is [...] Read more.
Marine invasive species may modify their host environment by altering ecosystem biogeochemistry. We hypothesized that the invasive polychaete Marenzelleria viridis in Baltic Sea areas increases sulfate reduction (SR) in sediment micro-zones surrounding its burrow. Consequently, higher free porewater sulfide (H2S) is expected in sediments dominated by M. viridis than in corresponding sediments inhabited by the native polychaete Hediste diversicolor. In a thin-aquaria experiment, we found high SR rates (220 to 539 nmol cm−3 d−1) around the burrow walls of M. viridis as well as in surface and subsurface sediments with overall rates 2-fold higher than in defaunated control sediment. Similarly, an in situ survey revealed subsurface porewater H2S peaks moving upward towards the sediment surface in M. viridis inhabited areas. Accordingly, 50–85% higher porewater H2S was found almost year-round in these areas compared with H. diversicolor inhabited areas, suggesting that the invasion of M. viridis probably led to a substantial change in sediment biogeochemistry. In conclusion, M. viridis stimulates SR in sediment micro-zones and increases H2S in coastal sediments. Such change to more reducing conditions after the invasion may have critical environmental implications on, e.g., the distribution of H2S intolerant flora and fauna species. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bioturbation in Marine Ecosystems: Current and Future Challenges)
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