THE EFFECTS OF BURROWING BY THE AMPHIPOD COROPHIUM VOLUTATOR ON THE ECOLOGY OF INTERTIDAL SEDIMENTS

A series of field and laboratory experiments were conducted in order t o assess whether the burrow-dwelling amphipod Corophium volutator, is a significant bioturbator of intertidal mud and sand flats where it of ten occurs at densities of tens of thousands per square metre. Compari sons of sediment characteristics, redox potential and meio- and macrof aunal populations in treatments with enhanced, natural and reduced den sities of Corophium revealed effects on sediment physico-chemistry and on small meiofaunal-sized species, but these were weak and not always consistent. High densities of adult Corophium consistently depressed the abundance of smaller conspecifics although the mechanism of this i nteraction has not been identified. The results are discussed in the c ontext of the ability of Corophium to promote the recovery of organica lly enriched sediments.