Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

The influence of macrofauna on estuarine benthic community metabolism: a microcosm study

  • Published:
Marine Biology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Effects of benthic macrofauna (Corophium volutator, Hydrobia sp., Nereis virens) on benthic community metabolism were studied over a 65-d period in microcosms kept in either light/dark cycle (L/D-system) or in continuous darkness (D-system). Sediment and animals were collected in January 1986 in the shallow mesohaline estuary, Norsminde Fjord, Denmark. The primary production in the L/D-system after 10 d acted as a stabilizing agent on the O2 and CO2 flux rates, whereas the D-system showed decreasing O2 and CO2 flux throughout the period. Mean O2 uptake over the experimental period ranged from 0.38 to 1.24 mmol m−2 h−1 and CO2 release varied from 0.80 to 1.63 mmol m−2 h−1 in both systems. The presence of macrofauna stimulated community respiration rates measured in darknes, 1.4 to 3.0 and 0.9 to 2.0 times for O2 and CO2, respectively. In contrast, macrofauna lowered primary production. Gross primary production varied from 1.06 to 2.26 mmol O2 m−2 h−1 and from 1.26 to 2.62 mmol CO2 m−2 h−1. The community respiratory quotient (CRQ, CO2/O2) was generally higher in the begining of the experiment (0–20 d, mean 1.89) than in the period from Days 20 to 65 (mean 1.38). The L/D-system exhibited lower CRQ (ca. 1) than the D-system. The community photosynthetic quotient varied for both net and gross primary production from 0.64 to 1.03, mean 0.81. The heterotrophic D-system revealed a sharp decrease in the sediment content of chlorophyll a as compared to the initial content. In the autotrophic L/D-system, a significant increase in chlorophyll a concentration was observed in cores lacking animals and cores with C. volutator (The latter species died during the experiment). Due to grazing and other macrofauna activities other cores of the L/D-system exhibited no significant change in chlorophyll a concentration. Community primary production was linearly correlated to the chlorophyll a content in the 0 to 0.5 cm layer. Fluxes of DIN (NH4 ++NO2 −+NO3 −) did not reveal significant temporal changes during the experiment. Highest rates were found for the cores containing animals, mainly because of an increased NH4 + flux. The release of DIN decreased significantly due to uptake by benthic microalgae in the L/D-system. No effects of the added macrofauna were found on particulate organic carbon (POC), particulate organic nitrogen (PON), total carbon dioxide (TCO2) and NH4 + in the sediment. The ratio between POC and PON was nearly constant (9.69) in all sediment dephts. The relationship between TCO2 and NH4 + was more complex, with ratios below 2 cm depth similar to those for POC/PON, but with low ratios (3.46) at the sediment surface.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Literature cited

  • Aller, R. C. (1982). The effects of macrobenthos on chemical properties of marine sediment and overlying water. In: McCall, P. L., Tevesz, M. J. S. (eds.) Animal-sediment relations. Plenum Publ. Comp., New York, p. 53–102

    Google Scholar 

  • Aller, R. C. (1988). Benthic fauna and biogeochemical processes in marine sediments. I. The role of burrow structures. In: Blackburn, T. H., Sørensen, J. (eds.). Nitrogen cycling in coastal marine environments. John Wiley and Sons, Chichester, p. 301–338

    Google Scholar 

  • Andersen, T. Ø. (1986). Influence of Spartina detritus enrichment on exchange of nutrients between sediment and water in an intertidal area of Bay of Fundy. Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. 29: 7–14

    Google Scholar 

  • Andersen, F. Ø., Hargrave, B. T. (1984). Effects of Spartina detritus enrichment on aerobic/anaerobic benthic metabolism in an intertidal sediment. Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. 16: 161–171

    Google Scholar 

  • Andersen, F. Ø., Helder, W. (1987). Comparison of oxygen microgradients, oxygen flux rates and electron transport system activity in coastal marine sediments. Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. 37: 259–264

    Google Scholar 

  • Anderson, L. G., Hall, P. O. J., Iverfeldt, A., Rutgers van der Loeff, M. M., Sundby, B., Westerlund, S. F. G. (1986). Benthic respiration measured by total carbonate production. Limnol. Oceanogr. 3: 319–329

    Google Scholar 

  • Armstrong, F. A. J., Stearns C. R., Strickland, J. D. H. (1967). The measurement of upwelling and subsequent biological processes by means of the Technicon Auto-analyser and associated equipment. Deep-Sea Res. 14: 381–389

    Google Scholar 

  • Bennekom, A. J. van, Gieskes, W. W. C., Tijssen, S. B. (1975). Eutrophication of Dutch coastal waters. Proc. R. Soc. Lond. 189: 359–374

    Google Scholar 

  • Berner, R. A. (1980). Early diagenesis. A theoretical approach. Princeton University Press, Princeton, New Jersey

    Google Scholar 

  • Blackburn, T. H. (1980). Seasonal variations in the rate of organic-N mineralization in anoxic marine sediments. Colloq. Int. CNRS 293: 173–183

    Google Scholar 

  • Brenner, D., Valiela, I., Raalte, C. D. van (1976). Grazing by Talorchestia longicornis on an algal mat in a New England salt marsh. J. exp. mar Biol. Ecol. 22: 161–169

    Google Scholar 

  • Burris, J. E. (1981). Effects of oxygen and inorganic carbon concentrations on the photosynthetic quotients of marine algae. Mar. Biol. 65: 215–219

    Google Scholar 

  • Colijn, F., Jonge, V. N. de (1984) Primary production of microphytobenthos in the Ems-Dollard Estuary. Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. 14: 185–196

    Google Scholar 

  • Connor, M. S., Teal, J. M., Valiela, I. (1982). The effect of feeding by mud snails, Ilyanassa obsoleta (Say), on the structure and metabolism of a laboratory benthic algal community. J. exp. mar. Ecol. 65: 29–45

    Google Scholar 

  • Cooper, D. C. (1973). Enhancement of net primary productivity by herbivore grazing in aquatic laboratory microcosms. Limnol. Oceanogr. 18: 31–37

    Google Scholar 

  • Darley, W. M., Montague, C. M., Plumley, F. G., Sage, W. W., Psalidas, A. T. (1981). Factors limiting edaphic algal biomass and productivity in a Georgia salt marsh. J. Phycol. 17: 122–128

    Google Scholar 

  • Davis, M. W., Lee, II, H. (1983). Recolonization of sedimentassociated microalgae and effects of estuarine infauna on microalgal production. Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. 11: 227–232

    Google Scholar 

  • Davis, M. W., McIntire, C. D. (1983). Effects of physical gradients on the production dynamics of sediment-associated algae. Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. 13: 103–114

    Google Scholar 

  • Fenchel, T., Straarup, B. J. (1971). Vertical distribution of photosynthetic pigments and the penetration of light in marine sediments. Oikos 22: 172–182

    Google Scholar 

  • Fenchel, T., Kofoed, L. H. (1976). Evidence for exploitative intraspecific competition in mudsnails (Hydrobidae) Oikos 27: 367–376

    Google Scholar 

  • Fisher, T. R., Carlson, P. R., Barber, R. T. (1982). Sediment nutrient regeneration in three North Carolina estuaries. Estuar. cstl. Shelf Sci. 14: 101–115

    Google Scholar 

  • Goerke, H. (1971). Die Ernährungsweise der Nereis-arten (Polychaeta; Nereidae) der Deutschen Küsten. Veröff. Inst. Meeresforsch. Bremerhaven 13: 1–50

    Google Scholar 

  • Grant, J. (1986). Sensitivity of benthic community respiration and primary production to changes in temperature and light. Mar. Biol. 90: 299–306

    Google Scholar 

  • Hargrave, B. T., Phillips, G. A. (1981). Annual in situ carbon dioxide and oxygen flux across a subtidal marine sediment. Estuar. cstl. Shelf Sci. 12: 725–737

    Google Scholar 

  • Hargrave, B. T., Prouse, N. J., Phillips, G. A., Neame, P. A. (1983). Primary production and respiration in pelagic and bentic communities of two intertidal sites in the upper Bay of Fundy. Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci. (Suppl. 1) 40: 229–243

    Google Scholar 

  • Hartwig, E. O. (1978). Factors affecting respiration and photosynthesis by the benthic community of a subtidal siliceous sediment. Mar. Biol. 46: 283–293

    Google Scholar 

  • Henriksen, K., Hansen, J. I., Blackburn, T. H. (1980). The influence of benthic infauna on exchange of inorganic nitrogen between sediment and water. Ophelia. Suppl. 1: 249–256

    Google Scholar 

  • Henriksen, K., Rasmussen, M. B., Jensen, A. (1983). Effect of bioturbation on microbial nitrogen transformations in the sediment and fluxes of ammonium and nitrate to the overlaying water. Ecol. Bull. 35: 193–205

    Google Scholar 

  • Jensen, K. T., Siegismund, H. R. (1980). The importance of diatoms and bacteria in the diet of Hydrobia-species. Ophelia, Suppl. 1: 193–199

    Google Scholar 

  • Jørgensen, B. B.: (1977). The sulfur cycle of a coastal marine sediment (Limfjorden, Denmark). Limnol. Oceanogr. 22: 814–832

    Google Scholar 

  • Jørgensen, B. B. (1980). Seasonal oxygen depletion in the bottom waters of a Danish fjord and its effects on the benthic community. Oikos 34: 68–76

    Google Scholar 

  • Jørgensen, B. B., Sørensen, J. (1985). Seasonal cycles of O2, NO2 − and SO4 2− reduction in estuarine sediments: the significance of a NO3 − reduction maximum in spring. Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. 24: 65–74

    Google Scholar 

  • Kepkay, P. E., Novitsky, J. A. (1980). Microbial control of organic carbon in marine sediments: Coupled chemoautotrophy and heterotrophy. Mar. Biol. 55: 261–266

    Google Scholar 

  • Kepkay, P. E., Andersen, F. Ø. (1985). Aerobic and anaerobic metabolism of a sediment enriched with Spartina detritus. Mar. Ecol. Progr. Ser. 21: 153–161

    Google Scholar 

  • Kristensen, E. (1983): Ventilation and oxygen uptake by three species of Nereis (Annelida: Polychaeta). II. Effects of temperature and salinity changes. Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. 12: 299–306

    Google Scholar 

  • Kristensen, E. (1985). Oxygen and inorganic nitrogen exchange in a Nereis virens (Polychaeta) bioturbated sediment-water system. J. cstl Res. 1: 109–116

    Google Scholar 

  • Kristensen, E. (1988). Benthic fauna and biogeochemical processes in marine sediments. II. Microbial activities and fluxes. In: Blackburn, T. H., Sørensen, J. (eds.) Nitrogen cycling in coastal marine environments. John Wiley and Sons, Chichester

    Google Scholar 

  • Kristensen, E., Andersen, F. Ø. (1987). Determination of organic carbon in marine sediments: a comparison of two CHN-analyzer methods. J. exp. mar. Biol. Ecol. 109: 15–23

    Google Scholar 

  • Kristensen, E., Blackburn, T. H. (1987). The fate of organic carbon and nitrogen in experimental marine sediment systems: Influence of bioturbation and anoxia. J. Mar. Res. 45: 231–257

    Google Scholar 

  • Li, Y.-H., Gregory, S. (1974). Diffusion of ions in sea water and in deep sea sediments. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 38: 703–714

    Google Scholar 

  • Lusk, G. (1931). The elements of the science of nutrition. 4th. ed., W. B. Saunders, Philadelphia

    Google Scholar 

  • Nielsen, M. V., Kofoed, L. H. (1982). Selective feeding and epipsammic browsing by the deposit-feeding amphipod Corophium volutator. Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. 10: 81–88

    Google Scholar 

  • Nixon, S. W. (1981). Remineralization and nutrient cycling in coastal marine ecosystems. In: Neilson, B. J., Cronin, L. E. (eds.) Estuaries and nutrients. The Humana Press, Clifton, p. 111–138

    Google Scholar 

  • Oviatt, C. A., Rudnick, D. T., Keller, A. A.; Sampou, P. A., Almquist, G. T. (1986). A comparison of system (O2 and CO2) and C-14 measurements of metabolism in estuarine mesocosms. Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. 28: 57–67

    Google Scholar 

  • Pace, M. L., Shimmel, S., Darley, W. M. (1979). The effect of grazing by a gastropod, Nassarius obsoletus, on the benthic microbial community of a salt marsh mudflat. Est. cstl Mar. Sci. 9: 121–134

    Google Scholar 

  • Parsons, T. R., Maita, Y., Lalli, C. M., (1980). A manual of chemical and biological methods for seawater analysis. Pergamon Press, Oxford

    Google Scholar 

  • Raine, R. C. T., Patching, J. W. (1980). Aspects of carbon and nitrogen cycling in a shallow marine environment. J. exp. mar. Biol. Ecol. 47: 127–139

    Google Scholar 

  • Rasmussen, M. B., Henriksen, K., Jensen, A. (1983). Possible causes of temporal fluctuations in primary production of the microphytobenthos in the Danish Wadden Sea. Mar. Biol. 73: 109–114

    Google Scholar 

  • Revsbech, N. P., Jørgensen, B. B., Brix, O. (1981). Primary production of microalgae in sediments measured by oxygen microprofile H14CO3 − fixation, and oxygen exchange methods. Limnol. Oceanogr. 26: 717–730

    Google Scholar 

  • Revsbech, N. P., Jørgensen, B. B., Blackburn, T. H., Cohen, Y. (1983). Microelectrode studies of the photosynthesis and H2, H2S and pH profiles of a microbial mat. Limnol. Oceanogr. 28: 1062–1074

    Google Scholar 

  • Rutgers van der Loeff, M. M., Es, F. B. van, Helder, W., Vries R. T. P. De (1981). Sediment water exchange of nutrients and oxygen on tidal flats in the Ems-Dollard estuary. Neth. J. Sea Res. 15: 113–129

    Google Scholar 

  • Salonen, K. (1981). Rapid and precise determination of total inorganic carbon and some gases in aqueous solutions. Water Res. 15: 403–406

    Google Scholar 

  • Seliger, H. H., Boggs, J. A., Biggley, W. H. (1985). Catastrophic anoxia in the Chesapeake Bay in 1984. Science 228: 70–73

    Google Scholar 

  • Solorzano, L. (1969). Determination of ammonia in natural waters by the phenylhypochlorite method. Limnol. Oceanogr. 14: 799–810

    Google Scholar 

  • Sørensen, J., Jørgensen, B. B., Revsbech, N. P. (1979). A comparison of oxygen, nitrate and sulfate reduction in coastal marine sediments. Microb. Ecol. 5: 105–115

    Google Scholar 

  • Teal, J. M., Kanwisher, J. (1961). Gas exchange in a Georgia salt marsh. Limnol. Oceanogr. 6: 388–399

    Google Scholar 

  • Ullman, W. J., Aller, R. C. (1982). Diffusion coefficients in nearshore marine sediments. Limnol. Oceanogr. 27: 552–556

    Google Scholar 

  • Westernhagen, H. von, Hickel, W., Bauerfeind, E., Niermann, U., Kröncke, I. (1986). Sources and effects of oxygen deficiencies in the south-eastern North Sea. Ophelia 26: 457–473

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Biology, Odense University, Campusvej 55, DK-5230, Odense M, Denmark

    F. Ø. Andersen & E. Kristensen

Authors
  1. F. Ø. Andersen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. E. Kristensen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Additional information

Communicated by T. M. Fenchel, Helsingør

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Andersen, F.Ø., Kristensen, E. The influence of macrofauna on estuarine benthic community metabolism: a microcosm study. Mar. Biol. 99, 591–603 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00392566

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00392566

Keywords

Search

Navigation