Sediments play a key role in the marine nitrogen cycle and can act either as a source or a sink of biologically available (fixed) nitrogen. This cycling is driven by a number of microbial remineralization reactions, many of which occur across the oxic/anoxic interface near the sediment surface. The presence and activity of large burrowing macrofauna (bioturbators) in the sediment can significantly affect these microbial processes by altering the physicochemical properties of the sediment. For example, the building and irrigation of burrows by bioturbators introduces fresh oxygenated water into deeper sediment layers and allows the exchange of solutes between the sediment and water column. Burrows can effectively extend the oxic/anoxic interface into deeper sediment layers, thus providing a unique environment for nitrogen-cycling microbial communities. Recent studies have shown that the abundance and diversity of micro-organisms can be far greater in burrow wall sediment than in the surrounding surface or subsurface sediment; meanwhile, bioturbated sediment supports higher rates of coupled nitrification–denitrification reactions and increased fluxes of ammonium to the water column. In the present paper we discuss the potential for bioturbation to significantly affect marine nitrogen cycling, as well as the molecular techniques used to study microbial nitrogen cycling communities and directions for future study.
Skip Nav Destination
Article navigation
February 2011
-
Cover Image
Cover Image
- PDF Icon PDF LinkFront Matter
- PDF Icon PDF LinkTable of Contents
Conference Article|
January 19 2011
Bioturbation: impact on the marine nitrogen cycle
Bonnie Laverock;
Bonnie Laverock
1
*Plymouth Marine Laboratory, Prospect Place, Plymouth PL1 3DH, U.K.
†Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, The University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield S10 2TN, U.K.
1To whom correspsondence should be addressed (email bonver@pml.ac.uk).
Search for other works by this author on:
Jack A. Gilbert;
Jack A. Gilbert
*Plymouth Marine Laboratory, Prospect Place, Plymouth PL1 3DH, U.K.
Search for other works by this author on:
Karen Tait;
Karen Tait
*Plymouth Marine Laboratory, Prospect Place, Plymouth PL1 3DH, U.K.
Search for other works by this author on:
A. Mark Osborn;
A. Mark Osborn
†Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, The University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield S10 2TN, U.K.
Search for other works by this author on:
Steve Widdicombe
Steve Widdicombe
*Plymouth Marine Laboratory, Prospect Place, Plymouth PL1 3DH, U.K.
Search for other works by this author on:
Publisher: Portland Press Ltd
Received:
October 29 2010
Online ISSN: 1470-8752
Print ISSN: 0300-5127
© The Authors Journal compilation © 2011 Biochemical Society
2011
Biochem Soc Trans (2011) 39 (1): 315–320.
Article history
Received:
October 29 2010
Citation
Bonnie Laverock, Jack A. Gilbert, Karen Tait, A. Mark Osborn, Steve Widdicombe; Bioturbation: impact on the marine nitrogen cycle. Biochem Soc Trans 1 February 2011; 39 (1): 315–320. doi: https://doi.org/10.1042/BST0390315
Download citation file:
Sign in
Don't already have an account? Register
Sign in to your personal account
You could not be signed in. Please check your email address / username and password and try again.
Captcha Validation Error. Please try again.