Cintia Organo Quintana

Influence of benthic macrofauna community shifts on ecosystem functioning in shallow estuaries

We identify how ecosystem functioning in shallow estuaries is affected by shifts in benthic fauna communities. We use the shallow estuary, Odense Fjord, Denmark, as a case study to test our hypotheses that (1) shifts in benthic fauna composition and species functional traits affect biogeochemical cycling with cascading effects on ecological functioning, which may (2) modulate pelagic primary productivity with feedbacks to the benthic system. Odense Fjord is suitable because it experienced dramatic shifts in benthic fauna community structure from 1998 to 2008. We focused on infaunal species with emphasis on three dominating burrow-dwelling polychaetes: the native Nereis (Hediste) diversicolor and Arenicola marina, and the invasive Marenzelleria viridis. The impact of functional traits in the form of particle reworking and ventilation on biogeochemical cycles, i.e. sediment metabolism and nutrient dynamics, was determined from literature data. Historical records of summer nutrient levels in the water column of the inner Odense Fjord show elevated concentrations of NH4+ and NO3- (DIN) during the years 2004-2006, exactly when the N. diversicolor population declined and A. marina and M. viridis populations expanded dramatically. In support of our first hypothesis, we show that excess NH4+ delivery from the benthic system during the A. marina and M. viridis expansion period enriched the overlying water in DIN and stimulated phytoplankton concentration. The altered benthic-pelagic coupling and stimulated pelagic production may, in support of our second hypothesis, have feedback to the benthic system by changing the deposition of organic material. We therefore advice to identify the exact functional traits of the species involved in a community shift before studying its impact on ecosystem functioning. We also suggest studying benthic community shifts in shallow environments to obtain knowledge about the drivers and controls before exploring deep-water environments.

Carbon mineralization pathways and bioturbation in coastal Brazilian sediments.

Carbon mineralization processes and their dependence on environmental conditions (e.g. through macrobenthic bioturbation) have been widely studied in temperate coastal sediments, but almost nothing is known about these processes in subtropical coastal sediments. This study investigated pathways of organic carbon mineralization and associated effects of macrobenthic bioturbation in winter and summer (September 2012 and February 2014) at the SE Brazilian coast. Iron reduction (FeR) was responsible for 73–81% of total microbial carbon mineralization in September 2012 and 32–61% in February 2014. Similar high rates of FeR have only been documented a few times in coastal sediments and can be sustained by the presence of large bioturbators. Denitrification accounted for 5–27% of total microbial carbon mineralization while no SO42− reduction was detected in any season. Redox profiles suggested that conditions were less reduced in February 2014 than in September 2012, probably associated with low reactivity of the organic matter, higher rates of aerobic respiration and bioirrigation by the higher density of small-macrofauna. Bioturbation by small macrofauna may maintain the sediment oxidized in summer, while large-sized species stimulate the reoxidation of reduced compounds throughout the year. Therefore, bioturbation seems to have an important role modulating the pathways of carbon mineralization in the area.

Benthic macrofauna bioturbation and early colonization in newly flooded coastal habitats

How will coastal soils in areas newly flooded with seawater function as habitat for benthic marine organisms? This research question is highly relevant as global sea level rise and coastal realignment will cause flooding of soils and form new marine habitats. In this study, we tested experimentally the capacity of common marine polychaetes, Marenzelleria viridis, Nereis (Hediste) diversicolor and Scoloplos armiger to colonize and modify the biogeochemistry of the newly established Gyldensteen Coastal Lagoon, Denmark. All tested polychaetes survived relatively well (28–89%) and stimulated carbon dioxide release (TCO2) by 97–105% when transferred to newly flooded soils, suggesting that soil characteristics are modified rapidly by colonizing fauna. A field survey showed that the pioneering benthic community inside the lagoon was structurally different from the marine area outside the lagoon, and M. viridis and S. armiger were not among the early colonizers. These were instead N. diversicolor and Polydora cornuta with an abundance of 1603 and 540 ind m-2, respectively. Considering the species-specific effects of N. diversicolor on TCO2 release and its average abundance in the lagoon, we estimate that organic carbon degradation was increased by 219% in the first year of flooding. We therefore conclude that early colonizing polychaetes modify the soils and may play an important role in the ecological and successional developments, e.g. C cycling and biodiversity, in newly flooded coastal ecosystems. Newly flooded soils have thus a strong potential to develop into well-functioning marine ecosystems.

Stable C and N Isotope Composition of Primary Producers and Consumers Along an Estuarine Salinity Gradient: Tracing Mixing Patterns and Trophic Discrimination

The mixing pattern along a summer salinity gradient in the estuary Odense Fjord was evaluated using nutrient concentrations as well as 13C and 15N isotope signatures of suspended and sediment organic matter, immobile macrophytes (Fucus vesiculosus and Ruppia maritima), and benthic fauna (Mya arenaria, Hediste (Nereis) diversicolor, and Arenicola marina). Trophic discrimination (Δ13C and Δ15N) of the infaunal consumers (suspension feeders and detritivores) was assessed from the obtained mixing patterns along the estuarine gradient. Correspondence between salinity, DIC, and DIN in Odense Fjord implies conservative mixing as also evident from linear relationships between salinity and δ13C and δ15N signatures of most living organic pools. Isotope signatures of suspended organic matter (i.e., diatoms) indicate that the river to marine DIC and DIN end-members have daily/weekly δ13C and δ15N averages during summer from − 10 to 0‰ and 10–12 to 0–5‰, respectively. Stable isotope signatures of long-lived macrophytes stationary at specific locations in Odense Fjord showed δ13C levels that were about 7‰ higher than for suspended particles and 3–4‰ higher than for sediment organic matter, while no such difference was evident for δ15N. The food of invertebrate consumers (M. arenaria, H. diversicolor, and A. marina) determined from the estuarine δ13C and δ15N patterns provided the first ever reported trophic discrimination of these animals. Thus, Δ13C was 1.9, 1.6, and 1.3‰ and Δ15N was 4.4, 5.0, and 3.5‰ for the three species, respectively. Accordingly, benthic suspension and deposit feeders in Odense Fjord are largely supported by a diet consisting of benthic and pelagic microalgae, however, with a possible slight shift in diet proportions or to other food sources in the lower reaches of the estuarine gradient.