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Mudflat Ecology pp 185–211Cite as

Sedimentary and Biological Patterns on Mudflats

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Part of the book series: Aquatic Ecology Series ((AQEC,volume 7))

Abstract

Apparently featureless ‘flat’ mudflats actually present striking biological patterning beneath the sediment surface, and even slight physical patterning by sediment ripple marks also leads to biological patterning of the surficial biofilm. The more topographically-complex hummock-forming mudflats are characterized by even more striking physical and biological patterning. In this chapter we first consider how the sediment-microbe association resists wave- and current-induced erosion, creating within-sediment structure (microbially-induced sedimentary structures, MISS). These structures may eventually succumb to high-energy erosion, creating superficial irregularity. We then describe how microbial and physical processes conjugate to form the spatially-complex, transitory hummock patterns. Finally, we summarize the biological patterning which emerges from the sedimentary structure and pattern on both flat and hummock mudflats.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Prof. Nora Noffke and Prof. David Paterson for very helpful discussions during the preparation of this chapter.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculté des Sciences, MMS, Laboratoire de Biologie Marine, Université de Nantes, Nantes, France

    Peter G. Beninger

  2. Instituto Argentino de Oceanografía-CONICET, Bahia Blanca, Argentina

    Diana Cuadrado

  3. Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, Yerseke, The Netherlands

    Johan van de Koppel

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  1. Peter G. Beninger
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  2. Diana Cuadrado
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  3. Johan van de Koppel
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Correspondence to Peter G. Beninger .

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  1. MMS, Faculté des Sciences, Université de Nantes, Nantes, France

    Peter G. Beninger

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Beninger, P.G., Cuadrado, D., van de Koppel, J. (2018). Sedimentary and Biological Patterns on Mudflats. In: Beninger, P. (eds) Mudflat Ecology. Aquatic Ecology Series, vol 7. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-99194-8_8

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