Direct contribution of invertebrate holobionts to methane release from coastal sediments

TY - JOUR

T1 - Direct contribution of invertebrate holobionts to methane release from coastal sediments

AU - Politi, Tobia

AU - Zilius, Mindaugas

AU - Bartoli, Marco

AU - Cardini, Ulisse

AU - Marzocchi, Ugo

AU - Bonaglia, Stefano

PY - 2023/12

Y1 - 2023/12

N2 - Sediment macrofauna play a vital role in sustaining aquatic food webs and biogeochemical cycles. Previous research demonstrated that bioturbation indirectly affects methane (CH4) dynamics through mobilization of porewater and alteration of microbial processes in the surrounding sediment. However, little is known on the direct contribution of macrofauna holobionts (the assemblage of invertebrate host and associated microbiome) to biogeochemical fluxes. Here, we investigated how 19 taxa of macrofauna holobionts, from different estuarine habitats spanning 40° to 63° latitude, directly contribute to CH4 fluxes. Deep burrowing infauna and deposit feeders were responsible for the highest CH4 production, whereas epifauna and filter feeders promoted oxidative CH4 consumption. Among the different environmental parameters, salinity was inversely correlated with CH4 production by macrofauna holobionts, with the process suppressed at high salinity (≥ 33). This study provides empirical evidence on how functional traits and environmental factors influence sediment invertebrates' contribution to CH4 fluxes.

AB - Sediment macrofauna play a vital role in sustaining aquatic food webs and biogeochemical cycles. Previous research demonstrated that bioturbation indirectly affects methane (CH4) dynamics through mobilization of porewater and alteration of microbial processes in the surrounding sediment. However, little is known on the direct contribution of macrofauna holobionts (the assemblage of invertebrate host and associated microbiome) to biogeochemical fluxes. Here, we investigated how 19 taxa of macrofauna holobionts, from different estuarine habitats spanning 40° to 63° latitude, directly contribute to CH4 fluxes. Deep burrowing infauna and deposit feeders were responsible for the highest CH4 production, whereas epifauna and filter feeders promoted oxidative CH4 consumption. Among the different environmental parameters, salinity was inversely correlated with CH4 production by macrofauna holobionts, with the process suppressed at high salinity (≥ 33). This study provides empirical evidence on how functional traits and environmental factors influence sediment invertebrates' contribution to CH4 fluxes.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85173497608&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1002/lol2.10361

DO - 10.1002/lol2.10361

M3 - Letter

AN - SCOPUS:85173497608

SN - 2378-2242

VL - 8

SP - 876

EP - 884

JO - Limnology and Oceanography Letters

JF - Limnology and Oceanography Letters

IS - 6

ER -