| Title |
Coastal habitat engineers and the biodiversity in marine sediments |
| Authors |
Reise, Karsten ; Bouma, Tjeerd J ; Olenin, Sergej ; Ysebaert, Tom |
| DOI |
10.1007/s10152-009-0147-x |
| Full Text |
|
| Is Part of |
Helgoland marine research.. Berlin : Springer. 2009, vol. 63, no. 1, p. 1-2.. ISSN 1438-387X. eISSN 1438-3888 |
| Abstract [eng] |
Over a long time in the history of earth in Precambrian oceans, otherwise loose sediments were generally sealed by tiered microbial mats (Meysman et al. 2006). These stabilizers of sedimentary habitats were probably Wrst undermined and then overturned by burrowing worms evolved at the shore, trying to keep away from the vagaries of the tidal sediment surface but still feeding on the microbial biomass above. Their synergistic bioturbation created a new habitat in an extended sediment layer, gardened by digging, irrigating and letting overlying water to Xush in and out. This habitat amelioration allowed for a diversiWed and productive benthic food web. Sluggish epibenthic creatures might have been relegated to marginal zones together with tight mats of microbial stabilizers. |
| Published |
Berlin : Springer |
| Type |
Journal article |
| Language |
English |
| Publication date |
2009 |
| CC license |
|
