Sediment depth-dependent trait expression controls species contributions to nutrient cycling
Global biodiversity loss is restructuring ecological communities and compromising ecosystem functioning. Yet, we still lack an empirical understanding of how specific trait combinations regulate ecosystem processes or how their functional expression is organised within the immediate environment. Here, we investigated trait-expression across 17 functionally contrasting sediment-dwelling marine…
A recent study has revealed that the depth at which marine invertebrates live within sediment plays a crucial role in determining their impact on nutrient cycling. Researchers examined 17 functionally distinct species, finding that sediment reworking and burrow ventilation are depth-dependent, but their effects on nutrient concentrations are highly specific to the type of nutrient.
The study demonstrates that surface modification, driven by some species, leads to increased ammonium levels. However, this relationship is moderated by the presence of ventilation. On the other hand, deeper sediment reworking and biomass accumulation correlate with higher nitrite concentrations. Nutrient relationships involving phosphate were found to be weak, and nitrate concentrations were not influenced by the measured traits.
This research establishes a mechanistic baseline for understanding the relationships between species-specific traits and nutrient concentrations under controlled conditions. The shift from using categorical trait assignments to a spatially explicit, empirically resolved trait-interaction framework provides a valuable foundation for predicting how alterations in species composition might affect benthic nutrient cycling.
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