Effects of temperature on in vitro sediment reworking processes by a gallery biodiffusor, the polychaete Neanthes virens

Temperature-induced variations in bioturbation could affect sediment mixing processes in the marine benthic environment. In this study, sediment reworking by Neanthes virens (Sars), a widely distributed polychaete in muddy sand communities of northern temperate latitudes, was studied under different temperature conditions representing winter (1degreesC), spring and fall (6degreesC), summer (13degreesC), and tide pool (18degreesC) temperatures in the lower St. Lawrence Estuary, Quebec, Canada. Sediment reworking was quantified using inert fluorescent particles (luminophores) deposited at the sediment surface. Based on the 1-D luminophore distributions obtained after 5 and 30 d, the use of the specific 'gallery-biodiffusor' model allowed us to quantify both bioditfusion (D-b) and biotransport (V-b) due to the organisms. Our results showed temperature effects on sediment transport. The lowest biotransport and biodiffusion coefficients were measured at 1 and VC and did not change with time. The highest biodiffusion occurred at 13degreesC for both sampling periods. At 18degreesC, biodiffusion was intermediate while biotransport was maximal. Differences between the 13degreesC biodiffusive transport and the other temperatures increased with time. Low transport values at 1 and VC suggest that a quiescent stage exists for this species at these temperatures, with sediment mixing occurring mostly during burrow construction. On the other hand, sediment mixing resulted from both the burrow construction and maintenance phases at higher temperatures (13 and 18degreesC).