Bioturbation Intensity Modifies the Sediment Microbiome and Biochemistry and Supports Plant Growth in an Arid Mangrove System

Abstract

Bioturbation is one of the most important processes that governs sediment biocenosis in intertidal systems. By facilitating oxygen penetration into anoxic layers, bioturbation alters the overall sediment biogeochemistry. Here, we investigate how high crab bioturbation intensity modifies the mangrove sediment bacterial community, which is the second largest component of mangrove sediment biomass and plays a significant role in major biogeochemical processes. We show that the increase in crab bioturbation intensity, by ameliorating the anoxic condition of mangrove sediment and promoting sediment bacterial diversity in favor of a beneficial bacterial microbiome, improves mangrove tree growth in arid environments. These findings have significant implications because they show how crabs, by farming the mangrove sediment, can enhance the overall capacity of the system to sustain mangrove growth, fighting climate change.