AB prepress abstract  -  doi: 10.3354/ab00053

ABSTRACT: This review lists and discusses the different methods currently available to assess sediment reworking by benthic infauna. Direct methods estimate the amount of sediment transported by infauna at the water-sediment interface during a given period of time. Particle-tracer methods are used to quantify the vertical distribution of particle tracers within the sediment column. Tracers are classified based on their mode of introduction at the sediment-water interface (i.e., whether they are naturally occurring or deliberately introduced at the onset of the experiment). The main characteristics of each method, including modelling aspects, are presented and their respective advantages and drawbacks outlined with a particular emphasis on their accuracy, spatial (i.e., both horizontal and vertical) and temporal resolutions. Direct and particle-tracer methods clearly assess different components of sediment reworking. Selection of the most appropriate approach depends on the specific question(s) to be answered as well as other factors, including the behavior of the studied organisms, the considered spatial and temporal scales and whether the experiments are carried out in situ or under controlled laboratory conditions.