Effects of key species mud snail <i>Bullacta exarata</i> (Gastropoda) on oxygen and nutrient fluxes at the sediment-water interface in the Huanghe River Delta, China

Li Baoquan; Bouma Tjeerd J.; Wang Quanchao; Soissons Laura M.; Cozzoli Francesco; Feng Guanghai; Li Xiaojing; Zhou Zhengquan; Chen Linlin

doi:10.1007/s13131-019-1430-6

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Article Navigation > Acta Oceanologica Sinica > 2019 > 38(8): 48-55

Li Baoquan, Bouma Tjeerd J., Wang Quanchao, Soissons Laura M., Cozzoli Francesco, Feng Guanghai, Li Xiaojing, Zhou Zhengquan, Chen Linlin. Effects of key species mud snail Bullacta exarata (Gastropoda) on oxygen and nutrient fluxes at the sediment-water interface in the Huanghe River Delta, China[J]. Acta Oceanologica Sinica, 2019, 38(8): 48-55. doi: 10.1007/s13131-019-1430-6

Citation:

Li Baoquan, Bouma Tjeerd J., Wang Quanchao, Soissons Laura M., Cozzoli Francesco, Feng Guanghai, Li Xiaojing, Zhou Zhengquan, Chen Linlin. Effects of key species mud snail Bullacta exarata (Gastropoda) on oxygen and nutrient fluxes at the sediment-water interface in the Huanghe River Delta, China[J]. Acta Oceanologica Sinica, 2019, 38(8): 48-55. doi: 10.1007/s13131-019-1430-6

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Effects of key species mud snail Bullacta exarata (Gastropoda) on oxygen and nutrient fluxes at the sediment-water interface in the Huanghe River Delta, China

doi: 10.1007/s13131-019-1430-6

1.
Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yantai 264003, China
2.
Department of Spatial Ecology, Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research (NIOZ-Yerseke), Yerseke 140, 4400 AC, The Netherlands;University of Applied Sciences, Vlissingen 4382 NW, The Netherlands
3.
Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yantai 264003, China;University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
4.
Department of Spatial Ecology, Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research (NIOZ-Yerseke), Yerseke 140, 4400 AC, The Netherlands
5.
Dawenliu Management Station of Yellow River Delta National Nature Reserve, Dongying 257500, China

Received Date: 2018-01-24

Abstract

Abstract

Since the mud snail Bullacta exarata was introduced for economic aquaculture in the Huanghe River (Yellow River) Delta in 2001, its quick population growth and expanded distribution make it a key-species in the intertidal zone of this area. This significantly contributed to the economic income of the local people, but its potential ecological impact on the benthic ecosystem remains unknown. A mesocosm study was conducted to test whether its bioturbation activities affect the microphytobenthos (MPBs; i.e., sedimentary microbes and unicellular algae) productivity and the nutrient exchange between the sediment-water interface. Our results show that the mud snail significantly impacted the dissolved oxygen (DO) flux across the sediment-water interface on the condition of normal sediment and light treatment, and significantly increased the ammonium efflux during recovery period in the defaunated sediment and dark treatment. The presence of micro- and meiofauna significantly increased the NH₄-N flux in dark treatment. Whereas, in light treatment, these small animals had less effects on the DO and NH₄-N flux between sediment-water interface. Our results provide better insight into the effect of the mud snail B. exarata on the ecosystem functioning via benthic fluxes.
- bioturbation,
- mud snail Bullacta exarata,
- oxygen flux,
- nutrient flux,
- benthic metabolism,
- Huanghe River (Yellow River) Delta

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