Thermal stress affects bioturbators' burrowing behavior: A mesocosm experiment on common cockles (Cerastoderma edule)

• DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.153621
• Publication Date: 2022-02-04T02:24:22Z
• Authors: Zhengquan Zhou; Tjeerd J. Bouma; Gregory S. Fivash; Tom Ysebaert; Lennart van IJzerloo; Jeroen van Dalen; Bas van Dam; Brenda Walles
• Keywords: Cerastoderma edule; Mesocosm; Cockle

The intensity of marine heatwaves is increasing due to climate change. Heatwaves may affect macroinvertebrates' bioturbating behavior in intertidal areas, thereby altering the deposition-erosion balance at tidal flats. Moreover, small-scale topographic features on flats can create pools during low tide, thus changing heat capacity These could then potentially operate as refuge environments heatwaves. We studied responses waves using well-known cockle Cerastoderma edule a model species. Different temperature regimes (i.e., fluctuating between 20 and 40 °C) micro-topographies presence vs. absence water pools) were mimicked mesocosm experiment with regular regimes. Our results demonstrate that behavioral stress strongly depend site-specific morphological features. Cockles covered by shallow moved up when exposed thermal stress, while burrowing deeper into sediment pools. But both cases, their migratory increased under compared ambient treatments. long-term cumulative cockles' respiration rates decreased health conditions, causing mass mortality after four weeks gradually exposure. Overall, present findings provide first insights how change response global warming.