Remote Sensing of Biologically Reworked Sediments: A Laboratory Experiment |
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Authors: | Annelies De Backer Stefanie Adam Jaak Monbaliu Erik Toorman Magda Vincx Steven Degraer |
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Institution: | (1) Marine Biology, Biology Department, Ghent University, Campus Sterre, Krijgslaan 281-S8, 9000 Ghent, Belgium;(2) Hydraulics Laboratory, Department of Civil Engineering, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 40, 3001 Heverlee, Belgium;(3) Marine Ecosystem Management Section, Management Unit of the North Sea Mathematical Model, Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, Gulledelle 100, 1200 Brussels, Belgium;(4) Present address: Animal Sciences, Fisheries, Institute for Agricultural and Fisheries Research, Ankerstraat 1, 8400 Oostende, Belgium |
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Abstract: | The present study aims to test the application of remote sensing to address the impact of bioturbation on physical sediment
properties. Therefore, a laboratory experiment was developed, using microcosms mimicking a marine intertidal water–sediment
interface to test the influence of Corophium volutator densities on sediment properties. Three main variables (water content, clay content, and mean grain size) were measured in
three treatments (no Corophium, 5,000 Corophium per square meter, and 20,000 Corophium per square meter) after 16 days of bioturbation. Results obtained with conventional—destructive—techniques showed a significant
increase of water content and a significant, but small decrease of clay content in the presence of Corophium. The remote sensing technique detected the impact of Corophium on water content as an increase in absorption at 1,450 nm, but was not able to detect the animal impact on clay content.
This study demonstrates that remote sensing data could be significantly modified by bioturbation activities and that remote
sensing can be applied in the laboratory to address the impact of bioturbation on sediment properties. This possibly opens
new perspectives for long-term experiments concerning the role of bioturbation on sedimentary processes. |
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