Seasonal coupling between intertidal macrofauna and sediment column porewater nutrient concentrations

It is well established that dense bivalve assemblages play a major role in the processes of benthic nutrient regeneration in coastal marine ecosystems (1-7). In recent years, there is increasing evidence of the close relationship between nutrient concentrations in sediments and macrofauna-influenced upward flux of nutrients that enhances benthic primary productivity. This coupling has been shown, to varying degree, for a variety of benthic communities dominated by both suspension and deposit feeders.