MEPS 632:27-42 (2019)  -  DOI: https://doi.org/10.3354/meps13165

ABSTRACT: This study shows that macrofaunal irrigation traits constitute a valuable complement to sediment reworking traits in estimating macrofaunal impact on nutrient fluxes across the sediment-water interface. We correlated density, biomass, community bioturbation potential (BP_c, an index based on reworking traits, body mass and density) and community irrigation potential (IP_c, an index based on irrigation traits, body mass and density) with nitrite, nitrate, ammonium, silicate and phosphate flux data under different environmental conditions. Generalized linear models performed best with a combination of environmental conditions and irrigation trait-based indices. This was not only a direct effect of the irrigation traits, but also of the scaling factor 0.75 employed in IP_c to infer metabolic activity from body mass. Accordingly, predictive models of nutrient flux across the sediment-water interface will profit greatly from incorporating macrofaunal irrigation behaviour by means of trait-based indices.

KEY WORDS: Bioirrigation · Bioturbation · Functional traits · Ecosystem functioning