Benthic invertebrate activity in lakes: linking present and historical bioturbation patterns

Abstract

Trace fossils of lacustrine benthos are less well known than those of marine benthos, limiting their potential use in interpreting paleo-environmental conditions, including climate change, reconstructing lake ecosystems, and predicting effects of sediment mixing of paleoclimate records.Here, we present a synopsis of limnological controls on the distribution of present day lacustrine benthos, a synopsis of their burrowing and feeding habits, and a summary of the traces they produce. Maximum diversity and density of benthos occur in sublittoral zones and decrease both shoreward and basinward. Common taxa include bivalves (unionids, sphaeriids), snails, oligochaetes, amphipods, and insects (particularly chironomids and ephemeropterans). With a few exceptions, traces produced are morphologically simple, shallowly inscribed, and have low preservation potential. Although lacustrine benthic organisms are widespread, variability within and between lakes causes them and their traces to be patchily distributed. To truly understand the records left in lacustrine sediments and the links between modern and ancient traces, we need comprehensive surveys over a range of lake types and collaborations between ichnologists and benthic ecologists.KEY WORDS: Lake benthos · Lacustrine fauna · Lake ecology · Paleolimnology · Ichnofacies

Burrowing mayfly (Ephemeroptera: Ephemeridae: Hexagenia spp.) bioturbation and bioirrigation: A source of internal phosphorus loading in Lake Erie

“…Subsequently, phosphorus released from sediments is significant in stimulating phytoplankton growth (Cymbola et al, 2008). Sediment suspension by benthic macroinvertebrates (bioturbation) in aquatic ecosystems is an important process (White and Miller, 2008) responsible for the majority of the chemicals transported from the sediments into the water column (Thibodeaux and Bierman, 2003). Chemicals released may include contaminants (Bartsch et al, 1999), nutrients (Granéli 1979;Lawrence et al, 1982;Mermillod-Blondin et al, 2005;Caliman et al, 2007), solutes (Matisoff et al, 1985;Matisoff and Wang, 1998), and suspended particles and sediments that increase turbidity (Matisoff and Wang, 2000;Bachteram et al, 2005).…”

Investigating the maximum resolution of µXRF core scanners: A 1800 year storminess reconstruction from the Outer Hebrides, Scotland, UK

“…In Hosta 1 the maximum correlation at 10 years, as well as the cycle of 20 years (which has a Nyquist frequency of 10 years), indicated the optimum reliable resolution was reached at ~10 years resolution (representing 3-5 mm). However, even at higher resolutions the correlations were significant, which suggests that sediment disturbance degraded rather than destroyed the climatic signal in the sediment (Lee, 1970;White and Miller, 2008). At this 10-year resolution results are the average of measurements from 3 mm sample thickness, across a 4 mm wide scanning cross-section and to X-ray penetration depths of 1 mm (Croudace et al, 2006).…”

“…(1 m) Mackereth corer (Mackereth, 1969) at two locations shown in (White and Miller, 2008). Cores were extracted within plastic tubes and transported vertically.…”

“…Bioturbation (mixing) of benthic sediment occurs through the movements of flora and fauna: this has been found to occur over depths of 3-20 cm (Krantzberg, 1985;Lee, 1970) but the effects are unevenly distributed within lakes (White and Miller, 2008). Sediment disturbance can also occur from redeposition by currents and sediment slumping (Hilton et al, 1986).…”

Oxyradical scavenging capacity by the S9 fraction ofHexageniaspp. nymphs from the Western Basin of Lake Erie: neutralisation of three potent oxidants

“…These insects are routinely used for monitoring water quality because their presence and diversity can be valuable indicators of the health of their aquatic environment. In North America, mayfly species are susceptible to existing and impending environmental degradation [20].…”