Impacts antagonistes des espèces bioturbatrices benthiques : Effets interconnectés sur les propriétés sédimentaires, les variables biogéochimiques et la dynamique microbienne
Langue
EN
Article de revue
Ce document a été publié dans
Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology. 2024-04-01, vol. 573, p. 152000
Résumé en anglais
Macrofaunal species inhabiting intertidal mudflats and performing intense bioturbation are considered as ecosystem engineers, since they profoundly influence their physical, chemical, and biological environments. Nowadays, ...Lire la suite >
Macrofaunal species inhabiting intertidal mudflats and performing intense bioturbation are considered as ecosystem engineers, since they profoundly influence their physical, chemical, and biological environments. Nowadays, to complete our knowledge on the effect of bioturbation processes on the surrounding environment, interdisciplinary approach is essential to unravel their complex intertwined effects on intertidal mudflats. In this study, the effects of bioturbators on sediment properties, biogeochemical variables, and microbial dynamics (microphytobenthos, bacteria and archaea) were investigated. To this end, manipulation experiments were carried out in an intertidal mudflat of the Seine Estuary (France) by revamped the abundance of the two dominant bioturbators, Scrobicularia plana and Hediste diversicolor, in winter and late summer. Results showed that the presence of H. diversicolor in winter had a significant effect, with a significant increase in bed level accretion and microbial nitrate reduction rates. In contrast, the presence of S. plana showed no significant impact on sediment properties, most likely due to a reduced bioturbating activity at low temperature. In summer, both ecosystem engineers strongly influenced their surrounding environment but with opposite effects. The intense reworking of the sediment surface by S. plana limited microbial growth and enhanced erosion processes. Conversely, the presence of H. diversicolor favoured sediment accretion and enhanced microbial growth. Overall, this interdisciplinary study confirms the importance of these two ecosystem engineers in temperate estuarine mudflats by highlighting their simultaneous and intertwined effects on the sedimentary, physicochemical, and biological features. This confirms the importance of actively considering ecosystem engineers when restoring the natural habitats of tidal flats to cope with the different vulnerability risks related to global warming (sandification of estuarine sediments, disappearance of productive mudflats, sea level rise, vulnerability to storms and erosion).< Réduire
Mots clés en anglais
biogeochemical cycles
ecosystem engineers
microbial communities
microphytobenthos
organic 39 matter
sediment