MEPS prepress abstract   -  DOI: https://doi.org/10.3354/meps14735

ABSTRACT: Soft-sediment ecosystems play a crucial role in marine environments, yet understanding the relationships between species composition and ecosystem functioning remains challenging. This study investigates the potential of sediment microtopography as a predictor of ecosystem functioning in soft-sediment environments. We conducted controlled laboratory experiments focusing on the activity and microtopography generated by 2 co-occurring and functionally important species: the tellinid bivalve Macomona liliana and the maldanid polychaete Macroclymenella stewartensis. Custom-built flow-through gas-tight tanks were utilized to quantify sediment microtopography and assess benthic fluxes and porewater nutrient concentrations. Rugosity explained between 35 and 61% of the variability in oxygen, ammonium and nitrate + nitrite fluxes and was positively correlated with the variability of deep porewater ammonium concentrations. As a first step to validating direct links between microtopography and biophysical drivers of ecosystem processes, we highlight the potential to advance biodiversity–ecosystem function relationships for seafloor habitats. Broader investigation of the potential of microtopography as a surrogate for ecosystem functioning will lay the groundwork for novel approaches to predict and characterize changes in these vital coastal environments and inform management strategies.