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Meiofauna increases bacterial denitrification in marine sediments

Bonaglia, Stefano LU ; Nascimento, F. J. A. ; Bartoli, M. ; Klawonn, I. and Bruchert, V. (2014) In Nature Communications 5.
Abstract
Denitrification is a critical process that can alleviate the effects of excessive nitrogen availability in aquatic ecosystems subject to eutrophication. An important part of denitrification occurs in benthic systems where bioturbation by meiofauna (invertebrates <1mm) and its effect on element cycling are still not well understood. Here we study the quantitative impact of meiofauna populations of different abundance and diversity, in the presence and absence of macrofauna, on nitrate reduction, carbon mineralization and methane fluxes. In sediments with abundant and diverse meiofauna, denitrification is double that in sediments with low meiofauna, suggesting that meiofauna bioturbation has a stimulating effect on nitrifying and... (More)
Denitrification is a critical process that can alleviate the effects of excessive nitrogen availability in aquatic ecosystems subject to eutrophication. An important part of denitrification occurs in benthic systems where bioturbation by meiofauna (invertebrates <1mm) and its effect on element cycling are still not well understood. Here we study the quantitative impact of meiofauna populations of different abundance and diversity, in the presence and absence of macrofauna, on nitrate reduction, carbon mineralization and methane fluxes. In sediments with abundant and diverse meiofauna, denitrification is double that in sediments with low meiofauna, suggesting that meiofauna bioturbation has a stimulating effect on nitrifying and denitrifying bacteria. However, high meiofauna densities in the presence of bivalves do not stimulate denitrification, while dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium rate and methane efflux are significantly enhanced. We demonstrate that the ecological interactions between meio-, macrofauna and bacteria are important in regulating nitrogen cycling in soft-sediment ecosystems. (Less)
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author
; ; ; and
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Nature Communications
volume
5
article number
5133
publisher
Nature Publishing Group
external identifiers
  • wos:000343980300007
  • scopus:84928685471
ISSN
2041-1723
DOI
10.1038/ncomms6133
language
English
LU publication?
no
id
169065d3-a1bd-4e44-b4bb-25b882f87902 (old id 8522767)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 12:55:21
date last changed
2022-04-13 22:06:28
@article{169065d3-a1bd-4e44-b4bb-25b882f87902,
  abstract     = {{Denitrification is a critical process that can alleviate the effects of excessive nitrogen availability in aquatic ecosystems subject to eutrophication. An important part of denitrification occurs in benthic systems where bioturbation by meiofauna (invertebrates &lt;1mm) and its effect on element cycling are still not well understood. Here we study the quantitative impact of meiofauna populations of different abundance and diversity, in the presence and absence of macrofauna, on nitrate reduction, carbon mineralization and methane fluxes. In sediments with abundant and diverse meiofauna, denitrification is double that in sediments with low meiofauna, suggesting that meiofauna bioturbation has a stimulating effect on nitrifying and denitrifying bacteria. However, high meiofauna densities in the presence of bivalves do not stimulate denitrification, while dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium rate and methane efflux are significantly enhanced. We demonstrate that the ecological interactions between meio-, macrofauna and bacteria are important in regulating nitrogen cycling in soft-sediment ecosystems.}},
  author       = {{Bonaglia, Stefano and Nascimento, F. J. A. and Bartoli, M. and Klawonn, I. and Bruchert, V.}},
  issn         = {{2041-1723}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  publisher    = {{Nature Publishing Group}},
  series       = {{Nature Communications}},
  title        = {{Meiofauna increases bacterial denitrification in marine sediments}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/ncomms6133}},
  doi          = {{10.1038/ncomms6133}},
  volume       = {{5}},
  year         = {{2014}},
}