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Indirect effects of non-lethal predation on bivalve activity and sediment reworking

Indirect effects of non-lethal predation on bivalve activity and sediment reworking
Indirect effects of non-lethal predation on bivalve activity and sediment reworking
Deposit-feeders are the dominant bioturbators of aquatic sediments, where they profoundly impact biogeochemical processes, but they are also vulnerable to both lethal and non-lethal predation by a large variety of predators. In this study, we performed a series of experiments to test the effects of predation avoidance on the feeding activity and sediment reworking intensity of the deposit-feeding bivalve Macoma balthica. Feeding activity at the sediment–water interface and sediment reworking intensity (vertical displacements of inert particle tracers) were monitored using image analysis techniques for treatments including and excluding the predatory shrimp, Crangon crangon. Detection of C. crangon by M. balthica resulted in an immediate retraction of the feeding siphon and a reduction in feeding activity. M. balthica also buried deeper into the sediment in the presence of C. crangon. This predator avoidance behaviour indirectly affected sediment reworking modes and rates, increasing the thickness of the bioturbated sediment layer as well as the non-local transport of sediment particles at depth. Conversely, feeding activity and sediment reworking processes remained unaffected when C. crangon was present, but isolated from the sediment, suggesting that predator perception in M. balthica is tactile (i.e. induced by direct encounter) rather than being chemosensory. Collectively, these results demonstrate that predatory avoidance behaviour by benthic infauna can significantly impact benthic bioturbation and the incorporation of organic matter into the benthic food web.
0022-0981
30 - 36
Maire, O.
fe1c0245-c2b8-4266-825d-93a77bc82caa
Merchant, J. N.
ce3dfb58-3150-417e-ac35-a42bca75dbc8
Bulling, M.
4c562fb6-6d03-4cec-9857-f2c23d2351f4
Teal, L. R.
89ee9eba-9405-4a1a-aa30-e3e3181980cf
Gremare, A.
f5c6003a-5403-4150-b579-d57a320fde00
Duchene, J. C.
b29c2467-146b-421e-8343-eaeccbf1a84a
Solan, M.
c28b294a-1db6-4677-8eab-bd8d6221fecf
Maire, O.
fe1c0245-c2b8-4266-825d-93a77bc82caa
Merchant, J. N.
ce3dfb58-3150-417e-ac35-a42bca75dbc8
Bulling, M.
4c562fb6-6d03-4cec-9857-f2c23d2351f4
Teal, L. R.
89ee9eba-9405-4a1a-aa30-e3e3181980cf
Gremare, A.
f5c6003a-5403-4150-b579-d57a320fde00
Duchene, J. C.
b29c2467-146b-421e-8343-eaeccbf1a84a
Solan, M.
c28b294a-1db6-4677-8eab-bd8d6221fecf

Maire, O., Merchant, J. N., Bulling, M., Teal, L. R., Gremare, A., Duchene, J. C. and Solan, M. (2010) Indirect effects of non-lethal predation on bivalve activity and sediment reworking. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology, 395 (1 - 2), 30 - 36. (doi:10.1016/j.jembe.2010.08.004).

Record type: Article

Abstract

Deposit-feeders are the dominant bioturbators of aquatic sediments, where they profoundly impact biogeochemical processes, but they are also vulnerable to both lethal and non-lethal predation by a large variety of predators. In this study, we performed a series of experiments to test the effects of predation avoidance on the feeding activity and sediment reworking intensity of the deposit-feeding bivalve Macoma balthica. Feeding activity at the sediment–water interface and sediment reworking intensity (vertical displacements of inert particle tracers) were monitored using image analysis techniques for treatments including and excluding the predatory shrimp, Crangon crangon. Detection of C. crangon by M. balthica resulted in an immediate retraction of the feeding siphon and a reduction in feeding activity. M. balthica also buried deeper into the sediment in the presence of C. crangon. This predator avoidance behaviour indirectly affected sediment reworking modes and rates, increasing the thickness of the bioturbated sediment layer as well as the non-local transport of sediment particles at depth. Conversely, feeding activity and sediment reworking processes remained unaffected when C. crangon was present, but isolated from the sediment, suggesting that predator perception in M. balthica is tactile (i.e. induced by direct encounter) rather than being chemosensory. Collectively, these results demonstrate that predatory avoidance behaviour by benthic infauna can significantly impact benthic bioturbation and the incorporation of organic matter into the benthic food web.

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Accepted/In Press date: 2 August 2010
e-pub ahead of print date: 15 September 2010

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Local EPrints ID: 455795
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/455795
ISSN: 0022-0981
PURE UUID: 34297476-94c4-4891-b70f-a3d5d54ea9c1
ORCID for M. Solan: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0001-9924-5574

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Date deposited: 04 Apr 2022 16:49
Last modified: 17 Mar 2024 03:15

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Contributors

Author: O. Maire
Author: J. N. Merchant
Author: M. Bulling
Author: L. R. Teal
Author: A. Gremare
Author: J. C. Duchene
Author: M. Solan ORCID iD

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