Stratified vertical sediment profiles increase burrowing crab effects on salt marsh edaphic conditions
Abstract Burrowing animals can profoundly affect the biological structure and ecosystem functions of their environments. For instance, burrowing crabs increase sediment deposition and facilitate sediment homogenization and turnover, with potential impacts to sediment biogeochemistry. However, the re...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2023-03-01
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| Series: | Ecosphere |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.4431 |
| _version_ | 1797856482701606912 |
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| author | S. Rinehart J. M. Dybiec B. Mortazavi J. A. Cherry |
| author_facet | S. Rinehart J. M. Dybiec B. Mortazavi J. A. Cherry |
| author_sort | S. Rinehart |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Burrowing animals can profoundly affect the biological structure and ecosystem functions of their environments. For instance, burrowing crabs increase sediment deposition and facilitate sediment homogenization and turnover, with potential impacts to sediment biogeochemistry. However, the relative importance of burrowing crabs on sediment dynamics can vary considerably between, and within, habitats. Sediment properties influence how burrowing crabs will affect edaphic conditions, but these studies often assume homogenous sediment conditions and fail to consider how sediment properties change with depth. Thus, understanding how burrowing crab effects on sediment properties are influenced by the vertical sediment profile should inform where burrowing crabs structure edaphic conditions. Here, we conducted an intensive field survey across three tidal salt marshes with variable sediment properties to understand if marsh vertical sediment profiles can help predict the nature of burrowing crab–sediment relationships. We found that burrowing crabs homogenize sediments in all marshes, but their effects on sediment homogenization and edaphic conditions were greater in marshes with highly stratified vertical sediment profiles. Our study suggests that understanding the vertical sediment profile of a salt marsh may provide critical insights into how crab burrowing may influence the edaphic conditions and physical characteristics of marsh surface sediments—especially in restored, created, and managed salt marshes. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-09T20:41:08Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-5cd5db4e9d734d9ea5796f25ed99abc7 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2150-8925 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-09T20:41:08Z |
| publishDate | 2023-03-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Ecosphere |
| spelling | doaj.art-5cd5db4e9d734d9ea5796f25ed99abc72023-03-30T01:42:38ZengWileyEcosphere2150-89252023-03-01143n/an/a10.1002/ecs2.4431Stratified vertical sediment profiles increase burrowing crab effects on salt marsh edaphic conditionsS. Rinehart0J. M. Dybiec1B. Mortazavi2J. A. Cherry3Department of Biological Sciences University of Alabama Tuscaloosa Alabama USADepartment of Biological Sciences University of Alabama Tuscaloosa Alabama USADepartment of Biological Sciences University of Alabama Tuscaloosa Alabama USADepartment of Biological Sciences University of Alabama Tuscaloosa Alabama USAAbstract Burrowing animals can profoundly affect the biological structure and ecosystem functions of their environments. For instance, burrowing crabs increase sediment deposition and facilitate sediment homogenization and turnover, with potential impacts to sediment biogeochemistry. However, the relative importance of burrowing crabs on sediment dynamics can vary considerably between, and within, habitats. Sediment properties influence how burrowing crabs will affect edaphic conditions, but these studies often assume homogenous sediment conditions and fail to consider how sediment properties change with depth. Thus, understanding how burrowing crab effects on sediment properties are influenced by the vertical sediment profile should inform where burrowing crabs structure edaphic conditions. Here, we conducted an intensive field survey across three tidal salt marshes with variable sediment properties to understand if marsh vertical sediment profiles can help predict the nature of burrowing crab–sediment relationships. We found that burrowing crabs homogenize sediments in all marshes, but their effects on sediment homogenization and edaphic conditions were greater in marshes with highly stratified vertical sediment profiles. Our study suggests that understanding the vertical sediment profile of a salt marsh may provide critical insights into how crab burrowing may influence the edaphic conditions and physical characteristics of marsh surface sediments—especially in restored, created, and managed salt marshes.https://doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.4431bioturbationcoastal restorationecosystem engineersfiddler crabsGulf of Mexicoindirect effects |
| spellingShingle | S. Rinehart J. M. Dybiec B. Mortazavi J. A. Cherry Stratified vertical sediment profiles increase burrowing crab effects on salt marsh edaphic conditions Ecosphere bioturbation coastal restoration ecosystem engineers fiddler crabs Gulf of Mexico indirect effects |
| title | Stratified vertical sediment profiles increase burrowing crab effects on salt marsh edaphic conditions |
| title_full | Stratified vertical sediment profiles increase burrowing crab effects on salt marsh edaphic conditions |
| title_fullStr | Stratified vertical sediment profiles increase burrowing crab effects on salt marsh edaphic conditions |
| title_full_unstemmed | Stratified vertical sediment profiles increase burrowing crab effects on salt marsh edaphic conditions |
| title_short | Stratified vertical sediment profiles increase burrowing crab effects on salt marsh edaphic conditions |
| title_sort | stratified vertical sediment profiles increase burrowing crab effects on salt marsh edaphic conditions |
| topic | bioturbation coastal restoration ecosystem engineers fiddler crabs Gulf of Mexico indirect effects |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.4431 |
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