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1.
2012年春季(5月)和夏季(8月)对滦河口-洋河口海域潮间带大型底栖动物群落及环境质量进行分析。结果表明:春季调查共鉴定大型底栖动物36种,种类组成以软体动物和多毛类为主;夏季调查共鉴定大型底栖动物22种,种类组成以软体动物和节肢动物为主。夏季大型底栖动物丰度和生物量明显低于春季。春季丰度和生物量皆以软体动物最高;夏季丰度以多毛类最高,生物量以节肢动物最高。滦河口-洋河口海域潮间带大型底栖动物物种数、丰度和生物量从高潮带向低潮带不断增高。采用大型底栖动物污染指数MPI和AMBI指数对调查海域潮间带大型底栖动物生态环境质量进行评价分析时,发现滦河口-洋河口海域潮间带生态环境质量总体处于良好状态,但MPI评价法和AMBI指数法对滦河口-洋河口海域潮间带生态环境质量分级结果存在差异。两种评价方法在生态环境状况分级评价中皆存在一定偏差,还需相互校准,并通过环境压力的梯度数据进行对比分析。 相似文献
2.
山东半岛宁津沿岸潮间带大型底栖动物生态学研究 总被引：1，自引：0，他引：1
根据2009年11月至2010年8月4个季度(秋、冬、春、夏)对宁津沿岸潮间带2个断面的高潮带(SC1H与SC2H)、中潮带(SC1M与SC2M)和低潮带(SC1L与SC2L)所设6个站位的大型底栖动物生态调查资料,采用种属组成、优势度指数、物种多样性指数、丰富度指数和均匀度度指数等方法,分析了调查区域内大型底栖动物的生态特征和季节变化。结果表明:宁津沿岸潮间带共采集到大型底栖动物45种,其中甲壳动物为优势类群,共计20种;软体动物14种,环节动物多毛类9种,其他类动物2种。优势种组成方面,甲壳动物钩虾类是4个季度的绝对优势种。调查区域大型底栖动物的年平均生物量为45.09 g/m2;最高生物量出现在秋季,最低出现在春季;空间分布上,除春季外其他三个季度的生物量变化趋势均为中潮带低潮带高潮带。年平均丰度为182.67个/m2;最高丰度出现在夏季,最低出现在冬季。宁津沿岸潮间带大型底栖动物的年平均物种多样性指数H′为1.09,季节变化趋势为冬季秋季夏季春季,空间分布趋势为低潮带中潮带高潮带。与邻近潮间带文献资料相比,调查区域的大型底栖动物在物种数量、生物量和丰度、物种多样性方面均处于低值水平。 相似文献
3.
本研究根据2013年5月在山东省广饶县潮间带海草床及附近海域大型底栖动物的采样数据,对斑块状海草床及邻近海域的大型底栖动物群落多样性、组成和结构进行了比较研究。结果显示,在本研究的海草床及附近海域共获得大型底栖动物41种,其中甲壳动物的物种数量最多(16种),多毛类动物(15种)和软体动物(10种)次之。大型底栖动物优势种有7种,包括多毛类3种,甲壳动物和软体动物各2种。整个研究海域大型底栖动物群落的平均丰度为661.33 ind/m~2,最主要的丰度贡献者为光滑河篮蛤和丝异须虫,它们的丰度均表现出显著的空间差异;动物丰度在海草床覆盖海域明显高于非海草覆盖海域。聚类分析、nMDS排序、SIMPER分析和IMS分析结果显示,在沿海草床的距离梯度上,大型底栖动物并未表现出明显的线性趋势。因此,斑块状海草床的生态服务功能仍然存在,但相当有限。因此,对功能退化的斑块状海草床的保护势在必行,以期恢复其原有的生态服务功能。 相似文献
4.
根据2010年8月至2014年8月对浙江渔山列岛附近海域6个站位的大型底栖动物调查,分析了渔山列岛附近海域大型底栖动物的群落结构特征,包括群落物种组成、优势种、丰度、生物量、群落的时空变化等,分析了大型底栖动物的群落结构,并使用AMBI和M-AMBI对大型底栖动物群落和环境质量进行了评估。结果表明:本次调查共鉴定出大型底栖动物60种,其中多毛类动物25种,软体动物13种,甲壳动物9种,棘皮动物4种,鱼类6种,其它动物3种(包括纽虫2种和扁形动物1种)。多毛类动物是该研究海域大型底栖动物群落的主要成分,占据了群落总种数的41.67%。在5个调查年份中,共出现了17种优势种,优势种年际变化很大,在5年内多次出现的优势种只有5种。在物种丰度方面,多毛类仍然是群落丰度的主要贡献者,但丰度的年际变化明显,从7.07%到40.89%不等。鱼类在生物量方面的重要性最高,主要是红狼牙鰕虎鱼Odontamblyopus rubicundus的多次出现所致。在环境因子中,悬浮物和盐度被证明是该海域对大型底栖动物群落影响最大的环境因子,这与该海域较高的悬浮物含量以及多变的盐度密切相关;在AMBI和M-AMBI进行的生态质量评价显示,该海域多数站位的生态质量状况较好,处于轻度扰动的影响之下,这些扰动来源于环境和底质状况不稳定引发的自然扰动而非人为污染。 相似文献
5.
《中国海洋大学学报(自然科学版)》2017,(5)
根据2013年8和10月、2014年2和5月在黄河口及邻近水域的大型底栖动物调查数据,采用群落物种多样性指数和丰度/生物量比较曲线,对黄河口大型底栖动物群落结构和生态状况进行分析。黄河口及邻近水域共采集到大型底栖动物80种,以多毛类、节肢动物和软体动物为主。10月优势种为纽虫,2和8月优势种为江户明樱蛤(Moerella jedoensis),5月无优势种。各群落物种多样性指数的季节变化趋势相同,均为2月最高,5和10月次之,8月最低,丰度/生物量比较曲线结果和多样性指数一致。研究结果表明,黄河口及邻近水域底栖生态状况全年显示为未受扰动状态,群落结构较稳定,其中冬季最优,其次为秋季和春季,夏季最差。空间变化表现为,靠近河口水域的生态状况较差,底栖动物物种丰富度较低,而远离河口区域的生态状况较好。 相似文献
6.
山东长岛潮间带大型底栖动物生态特征研究 总被引：4，自引：1，他引：3
2015年11月(秋季)、2016年2月(冬季)、2016年6月(春季)、2016年9月(夏季)大潮期间对山东长岛列岛中南长山岛和北长山岛的3个不同底质类型的潮间带采样点进行了系统的大型底栖动物调查,研究了其数量特征和季节变化,包括群落种类组成、密度和生物量、优势种、物种多样性等,结果表明:本次调查共鉴定出大型底栖动物隶属7个门,共81种。其中环节动物门多毛类动物25种,软体动物门25种,节肢动物门22种,棘皮动物门6种,其他类群共3种(包括纽虫、腔肠动物和鱼类各1种)。潮间带大型底栖动物平均密度为118.97 ind./m~2,软体动物和甲壳动物占据了研究区域底栖群落的密度主要成分,两者分别占比为39.58%和36.68%。各采样点平均密度为北长山岛(BCS)(141.17 ind./m~2)避险角(NCS1)(122.33ind./m~2)明珠广场东(NCS2)(93.42ind./m~2);各采样点平均生物量为128.03g/m~2,软体动物和甲壳动物占据了研究区域底栖群落的生物量主要成分,两者分别占比为58.56%和35.32%。平均生物量北长山岛(BCS)(234.95g/m~2)避险角(NCS1)(99.99g/m~2)明珠广场东(NCS2)(49.13g/m~2)。从季节来看,各站点的物种数、平均密度和生物量季节变化的规律性不明显,总体为秋、春季较多,夏、冬季较少。3个站点物种多样性指数(H′)、丰富度指数(D)和均匀度指数(J′)平均值分别为2.30、1.99和0.79,各潮区中,均为中潮带低潮带高潮带,各季节变化不明显。优势种受底质类型和季节变化的影响明显,没有在各站点和季节均为优势种的种类,主要的优势种有平背蜞(Gaetice depressus)、绒螯近方蟹(Hemigrapsus penicillatus)、短滨螺(Littorina brevicula)等。与以往历史资料相比,长岛潮间带生物出现了一定变化,种类和数量减少,与烟台近岸潮间带大型底栖动物种类组成差别很大。 相似文献
7.
烟台养马岛潮间带大型底栖动物食物网结构特征 总被引：3，自引：0，他引：3
为探明烟台潮间带主要底栖生物类群间的营养关系和食物网结构特征及其季节性变化,于2019年春季(3月)和夏季(7月)在山东烟台养马岛潮间带采集大型底栖动物、沉积颗粒(SOM)、悬浮有机质(POM)、浮游植物和浮游动物样品。利用稳定同位素技术,对养马岛海滩潮间带底栖生物的碳、氮稳定同位素进行测定和分析。结果表明:大型底栖动物在春季和夏季δ13C和δ15N值分别为?20.23‰—?12.99‰, 5.32‰—10.45‰和?21.91‰—?9.88‰, 7.01‰—14.17‰。夏季的碳、氮稳定同位素数值范围相较于春季均有所增加,相同大型底栖动物物种的碳、氮稳定同位素值会随季节变化而发生变化。春季该潮间带主要大型底栖动物的营养级范围为1.98—3.49,夏季为1.89—4.00。相同大型底栖动物营养级在季节之间无显著变化(P0.05)。营养传递顺序可表达为:滤食性软体动物→多毛类→甲壳动物,与能量流动方向一致。 相似文献
8.
根据2022年8月大潮期间庙岛群岛岛屿的潮间带和潮下带大型底栖动物的调查结果,对其种类组成、数量分布、优势种、多样性以及群落结构特点进行了研究。结果表明:本次潮间带定量调查共鉴定大型底栖动物52种,其中甲壳动物最多(17种);定性调查共鉴定42种,软体动物最多(30种)。潮下带定量调查共鉴定大型底栖动物39种,低于潮间带定量调查,其中软体动物最多(26种)。潮间带大型底栖动物平均丰度为234个/m2,平均生物量为82.82g/m2。潮下带平均丰度为180.2个/m2,平均生物量为708.02g/m2。潮间带大型底栖动物多样性指数(H′)、丰富度指数(D)和均匀度指数(J′)平均值分别为1.187、1.723和0.540;潮下带H′、D和J′平均值均高于潮间带,分别为1.301、2.204和0.669。在本次潮间带定量调查中,大型底栖动物优势种为施氏玻璃钩虾(Hyaleschmidti)、平背蜞(Gaeticedepressus)、潮间海钩虾(Pontogeneialittorea)等。潮下带优势种与... 相似文献
9.
为了解洞头列岛及邻近海域大型底栖动物的群落结构特征,于2015年4月在该海域布设35个站位进行大型底栖动物调查采样,并获取相关环境资料,分析了该海域大型底栖动物的群落结构及其与环境因子的关系。共鉴定出大型底栖动物122种,其中多毛类57种,甲壳动物34种,软体动物19种,棘皮动物5种,其它类动物7种。各调查站位大型底栖动物物种数目在1~22种之间,瓯江口附近站位物种数较少。大型底栖动物平均生物量为3.35 g/m2,平均栖息密度为321个/m2。多毛类具有种数上的优势,软体动物具有生物量和密度上的优势。Shannon-Wiener多样性指数、Margalef丰富度指数和Pielou均匀度指数的平均值分别为1.29、2.45和0.66。通过聚类分析和多维尺度排序分析将该海域大型底栖动物划分为3个群落:异蚓虫-薄云母蛤-绒毛细足蟹-不倒翁虫群落(群落Ⅰ),薄云母蛤-异蚓虫-双鳃内卷齿蚕-不倒翁虫群落(群落Ⅱ)和其他群落(群落Ⅲ)。典范对应分析表明,影响大型底栖动物群落的主要环境因子有底层海水的温度、盐度、活性磷酸盐、活性硅酸盐、溶解性无机氮、化学需氧量以及表层沉积物中的总有机碳等。ABC曲线分析结果表明,大型底栖动物群落受到了一定程度的扰动,但基本稳定。与历史资料相比,大型底栖动物的栖息密度和生物量均无明显变化,种类组成由以多毛类和软体动物为主转变为以多毛类和甲壳动物为主,且个体较大的棒锥螺大量死亡。 相似文献
10.
烟台近海大型底栖动物群落特征 总被引：9，自引：2，他引：7
为了解烟台近岸海域大型底栖动物群落现状,分析群落演替特征,并在此基础上探讨引发群落演替的原因,于2010年4月、8月、11月及2011年3月4个航次（春、夏、秋、冬）对烟台近海大型底栖动物进行周年调查分析。采用优势度指数、物种多样性指数、丰富度指数、均匀度指数、Cluster聚类和MDS排序分析大型底栖动物群落特征,并与历史资料比较分析群落演替情况。结果表明,该海域共采集到大型底栖动物176种,其中多毛类77种,软体动物46种,甲壳动物39种,棘皮动物7种,其他7种。群落中的优势种组成季节性差异较小,基本保持稳定,短叶索沙蚕和不倒翁虫为4个季度共有优势种。烟台近海年平均生物量为16.72 g/m2,以秋季最高,春季最小;年平均丰度为1022 ind/m2,以冬季最高,春季最低。丰富度指数（D）、均匀度指数（J）和多样性指数（H’）的年平均值分别为2.30、0.70和1.91。聚类分析结果表明,大型底栖动物群落结构与底质和水深关系密切,但是由于受到不同类型的环境扰动,大型底栖动物群落呈现斑块状分布。与上世纪90年代相比,群落特征发生了一定程度的变化,表现为物种数下降,群落中优势类群的比例和优势种组成发生了变化,群落中软体动物比例减少,多毛类比例增加。人类活动包括污水排放、养殖和捕捞、港口建设和船舶航运等干扰是导致调查海域大型底栖动物种类组成及数量变化的主要原因。 相似文献
11.
Recent benthonic foraminifera respond to even minor changes in environmental conditions. On the basis of statistical analyses of both foraminiferal population and bottom sediments, a new morphological terminology for the Lagoon of Venice is presented.The various geomorphic units are here differentiated on the basis of the relative occurrence of subpopulations that respond to local physicochemical and biological parameters. This reduces the need to evaluate the tolerance limits of each individual species, necessary to identify environments in terms of species or groups of species. 相似文献
12.
厦门地区软相潮间带多毛类的生态 总被引：1，自引：0，他引：1
根据厦门地区１９９０年２月至１９９２年１月调查软相潮间带所获资料，研究了该区多毛类的种类组成，数量与分布，结果表明，该区多毛类种类丰富，共鉴定出１１８种，隶属于３７科８３属。其中，高潮区４０种，中潮区９０种，低潮区８３种。多毛类平均栖息密度８７个／ｍ＾３，平均生物量３．３３ｇ／ｍ＾２。 相似文献
13.
A kerosene type hydrocarbon fraction (equivalent to 7 L m(-2)) was added to enclosures in the surface layer of high-arctic intertidal beach sediment. The experimental spill was repeated in two consecutive years in the period July-September. The rate and extent of hydrocarbon removal and the accompanying bacterial response were monitored for 79 days (2002) and 78 days (2003). The bulk of added kerosene, i.e. 94-98%, was lost from the upper 5 cm layer by putatively abiotic processes within 2 days and a residual fraction in the range 0.6-1.2mg per g dry sediment was stably retained. Concomitant addition of oleophilic fertilizer led to higher initial retention, as 24% of the kerosene remained after 2 days in the presence of a modified, cold-climate adapted version of the well-known Inipol EAP 22 bioremediation agent. In these enclosures, which showed an increase in hydrocarbon-degrader counts from 6.5 x 10(3) to 4.1 x 10(7) per g dry sediment within 8 days, a 17% contribution by biodegradation to subsequent hydrocarbon removal was estimated. Stimulation in hydrocarbon-degrader counts in fertilizer-alone control enclosures was indistinguishable from the stimulation observed with both kerosene and fertilizer present, suggesting that the dynamics in numbers of hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria was primarily impacted by the bioremediation agent. 相似文献
14.
A video-based technique for mapping intertidal beach bathymetry 总被引：2，自引：0，他引：2
Stefan G. J. Aarninkhof Ian L. Turner Thomas D. T. Dronkers Mark Caljouw Leann Nipius 《Coastal Engineering》2003,49(4):275
Measuring the location of the shoreline and monitoring foreshore changes through time are core tasks carried out by coastal engineers for a wide range of research, monitoring and design applications. With the advent of digital imaging technology, shore-based video systems provide continuous and automated data collection, encompassing a much greater range of time and spatial scales than were previously possible using field survey methods.A new video-based technique is presented that utilises full-colour image information, which overcomes problems associated with previous grey-scale methods, which work well at steep (reflective) sites, but are less successful at flatter (dissipative) sites. Identification of the shoreline feature is achieved by the automated clustering of sub-aqueous and sub-aerial pixels in ‘Hue–Saturation–Value’ (HSV) colour space, and applying an objective discriminator function to define their boundary (i.e., ‘shoreline’) within a time-series of consecutive geo-referenced images. The elevation corresponding to the detected shoreline features is calculated on the basis of concurrent tide and wave information, which is incorporated in a model that combines the effects of wave set-up and swash, at both incident and infragravity frequencies.Validation of the technique is achieved by comparison with DGPS survey results, to assess the accuracy of the detection and elevation methods both separately and together. The uncertainties associated with the two sub-components of the model tend to compensate for each other. The mean difference between image-based and surveyed shoreline elevations was less than 15 cm along 85% of the 2-km study region, which corresponded to an horizontal offset of 6 m. The application of the intertidal bathymetry mapping technique in support of CZM objectives is briefly illustrated at two sites in The Netherlands and Australia. 相似文献
15.
Studies on island intertidal benthic ecology in Fujian 总被引：1，自引：0，他引：1
lNreomicrlowIntertidal zone is an important type of wetIand easystem on the earth as it is in the tranai-tion zone between 1and and the and subject to frequent human interferences. Since the inter-tidal sone is subject to a1ternative physical and chemical actions of land and as, the intertidalzone has a compticated and changeable environment. The studies on intertidal zon ecobeyhave always attracted much attention for the past decades (Stephensons, l972; MOrtons,l983: Huang and Zhu, l998; Y… 相似文献
16.
Detecting the intertidal morphologic change using satellite data 总被引：3，自引：0，他引：3
Joo-Hyung Ryu Chang-Hwan Kim Yoon-Kyung Lee Joong-Sun Won Seung-Soo Chun Saro Lee 《Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science》2008,78(4):623-632
Previous research has suggested that competitive bottlenecks may exist for the Mediterranean grey mullets (Osteichthyes, Mugilidae) at the fry stage with the exotic Cyprinus carpio (Osteichthyes, Cyprinidae) playing a central role. As a consequence, the structure of grey mullet assemblages at later stages is thought to reflect previous competition as well as differences in osmoregulatory skills. This paper tests that hypothesis by examining four predictions about the relative abundance of five grey mullet species in 42 Western Mediterranean estuary sites from three areas (Aiguamolls de l'Empordà, Ebro Delta and Minorca) differing in the salinity level and occurrence of C. carpio. Field data confirmed the predictions as: (1) Liza aurata and Mugil cephalus were scarce everywhere and never dominated the assemblage; (2) Liza saliens dominated the assemblage where the salinity level was higher than 13; (3) Liza ramado always dominated the assemblage where the salinity level was lower than 13 and C. carpio was present; and (4) Chelon labrosus dominated the assemblage only where the salinity level was lower than 13 and C. carpio was absent. The catch per unit effort of C. labrosus of any size was smaller in the presence of C. carpio than where it had not been introduced, which is in agreement with the juvenile competitive bottleneck hypothesis. Discriminant analysis confirmed that the assemblage structure was linked to the salinity level and the occurrence of C. carpio for both early juveniles and late juveniles as well as adults. The data reported here reveal that the structure of grey mullet assemblages inhabiting Mediterranean estuaries is determined by salinity and competitive interactions at the fry stage. 相似文献
17.
海州湾潮间带大型底栖动物的分布特征 总被引：2，自引：0，他引：2
于2002年6月对海州湾3种底质的潮间带底栖动物进行了采样分析.结果显示,该区被鉴定出的大型底栖动物共有98种,其中多毛类为13种、软体动物为53种、甲壳类为25种、棘皮动物为2种、其它类动物为5种,软体动物和甲壳类的种类可占80%;该区潮间带大型底栖动物的平均生物量和平均栖息密度分别为257.30 g/m2和953个/m2,软体动物生物量(201.19 g/m2)和栖息密度(727 个/m2)分别占总数的78%和76%.经底栖动物种类相似性聚类分析和多维尺度排序,可将该区潮间带大型底栖动物划分为岩礁、沙滩和泥沙滩3个群落.通过对3个底栖动物群落的生态特征及相关环境因子分析得出:对于种类,泥沙滩群落 > 岩礁群落 > 沙滩群落;对于生物量、息栖密度、多样性指数和均匀度指数,岩礁群落 > 泥沙滩群落 > 沙滩群落;泥沙滩群落中的TE断面优势种分布显著而使多样性指数和均匀度指数明显低于其它两条泥沙滩断面.沙滩群落和岩礁群落的底栖动物分布分别与海水浴场和货运码头较多的人为活动影响有关,而泥沙滩群落的分布差异主要与海岸开敞度、海流潮汐作用、滩涂贝类养殖及优势种分布影响有关.泥沙滩是该区经济贝类的重要养殖场所,为使养殖种类健康生长,建议对沿岸排污口水质及养殖区沉积物环境质量进行定期监测. 相似文献
18.
Benthic photosynthesis in submerged Wadden Sea intertidal flats 总被引：3，自引：1，他引：3
Markus Billerbeck Hans Ry Katja Bosselmann Markus Huettel 《Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science》2007,71(3-4):704-716
In this study we compare benthic photosynthesis during inundation in coarse sand, fine sand, and mixed sediment (sand/mud) intertidal flats in the German Wadden Sea. In situ determinations of oxygen-, DIC- and nutrient fluxes in stirred benthic chamber incubations were combined with measurements of sedimentary chlorophyll, incident light intensity at the sediment surface and scalar irradiance within the sediment. During submergence, microphytobenthos was light limited at all study sites as indicated by rapid response of gross photosynthesis to increasing incident light at the sea floor. However, depth integrated scalar irradiance was 2 to 3 times higher in the sands than in the mud. Consequently, gross photosynthesis in the net autotrophic fine sand and coarse sand flats during inundation was on average 4 and 11 times higher than in the net heterotrophic mud flat, despite higher total chlorophyll concentration in mud. Benthic photosynthesis may be enhanced in intertidal sands during inundation due to: (1) higher light availability to the microphytobenthos in the sands compared to muds, (2) more efficient transport of photosynthesis-limiting solutes to the microalgae with pore water flows in the permeable sands, and (3) more active metabolic state and different life strategies of microphytobenthos inhabiting sands. 相似文献
19.
《Journal of Sea Research》1999,41(3):203-212
Bivalve eggs generally contain large amounts of lipids which, in comparison with proteins and carbohydrates, have high energy contents and are thus costly in energetic terms. As lipid contents vary between species, comparisons of reproductive investments should not only include numbers and sizes of eggs, but also their energy content. We estimated the investment in egg material of mature females of the Baltic tellin Macoma balthica (L.) in terms of both mass and energy content. All mass below a minimum body mass (below which no eggs are produced) was defined as structural mass. This threshold amounts to a body mass index (BMI) of 5.6 (ash-free dry mass per cubic shell length in mg cm−3). More than half (55%) of the mass above the structural mass was invested in egg material and 45% in extra somatic tissue and tissue for production and storage of gametes. This means that the amount of eggs spawned ranged from 0 (at BMI = 5.6 mg cm−3) to 33% of the total ash-free dry mass (at a high BMI value of 14 mg cm−3). Eggs contained a relatively large amount of lipids, about 30% of their ash-free dry mass, whereas non-egg material contained only about 7% lipids. Eggs of two other bivalves in the Wadden Sea, the cockle Cerastoderma edule and the mussel Mytilus edulis, were smaller and contained only about 11% and 20% lipids, respectively. Energy content of M. balthica eggs amounted to ∼0.006 J, in the other two species to ∼0.002 J. The function of the more expensive eggs in M. balthica may be related to its early spawning in spring, causing slower larval development until first feeding. 相似文献
20.
The importance of facilitative interactions and organismal ecosystem engineering for establishing the structure of communities is increasingly being recognised for many different ecosystems. For example, soft-bottom tidal flats host a wide range of ecosystem engineers, probably because the harsh physico-chemical environmental conditions render these species of particular importance for community structure and function. These environments are therefore interesting when focusing on how ecosystem engineers interact and the consequences of these interactions on community dynamics. In this review, we initially detail the influence on benthic systems of two kinds of ecosystem engineers that are particularly common in tidal flats. Firstly, we examine species providing biogenic structures, which are often the only source of habitat complexity in these environments. Secondly, we focus on species whose activities alter sediment stability, which is a crucial feature structuring the dynamics of communities in tidal flats. The impacts of these engineers on both environment and communities were assessed but in addition the interaction between ecosystem engineers was examined. Habitat cascades occur when one engineer favours the development of another, which in turn creates or modifies and improves habitat for other species. Non-hierarchical interactions have often been shown to display non-additive effects, so that the effects of the association cannot be predicted from the effects of individual organisms. Here we propose the term of “cooperative ecosystem engineering” when two species interact in a way which enhances habitat suitability as a result of a combined engineering effect. Finally, we conclude by describing the potential threats for ecosystem engineers in intertidal areas, potential effects on their interactions and their influence on communities and ecosystem function. 相似文献