Impact of polychaetes (Nereis spp. and Arenicola marina) on carbon biogeochemistry in coastal marine sediments†

Table 3 Enhancement of benthic metabolism (O₂ uptake or CO₂ release) in sandy sediment inhabited by Nereis spp. and Arenicola marina. Values are given as percent difference between faunated and defaunated sediment (flux enhancement). The experimental conditions are indicated as: homog. = homogenized sediment in laboratory, intact = intact, but defaunated sediment in laboratory, in situ = in situ measurement^a

Species	Exp. conditions	Density/ind. m^-2	Flux enhancement (%)
N.virens[42]	homog.	600	74
N. virens[54]	homog.	1800	152
N. virens[47]	intact	800	79
N. virens[9]	homog.	600	74
N. diversicolor[48]	intact	1990	70
N. diversicolor[49]	homog.	1430	45
N. diversicolor[50]	intact	1390	81
N. diversicolor[50]	in situ	1000	25
N. diversicolor[46]	homog.	1190	174
N. diversicolor[45]	homog.	600	81
N. diversicolor[9]	homog.	600	94
N. diversicolor[51]	intact	2000	98
A. marina[45]	homog.	600	260
A. marina[52]	in situ	60	10
A. marina[52]	homog.	200	162

^aNote that specimens of A. marina used in homogenized sediment were juveniles.

ISSN: 1467-4866