Intertidal Sediment Bacterial and Foraminiferal Response to Disturbance

Experimental data from incubation studies examines the re-establishment of vertical bacterial and foraminiferal zonation in intertidal sediments after sieving. Measurements include counts of living foraminifera, pore water redox element concentrations, and bacterial abundances quantified via phospholipid-derived fatty acids. The dataset was published by the Australian Ocean Data Network and last updated in April 2026.

Use Cases

• Model foraminiferal migration patterns based on oxygen presence and sediment depth over a 49-day incubation period.
• Analyze relationships between pore water redox element concentrations (O2, NO3-, Mn(IV), Fe(III)) and bacterial PLFA profiles.
• Compare vertical distributions of total fatty acid concentration between field sediments and experimental microcosms.
• Investigate the long-term change in bacterial distribution attributed to the absence of macrobenthic mixing activity.

Strengths

• Data includes measurements across multiple sediment depths up to at least 70 mm.
• Experimental timeline tracks organism and geochemical responses over 49 days.

Limitations

• Sample size and specific row count are unknown.
• Data is derived from a specific experimental setup (sieved microcosms), limiting direct field applicability.
• Column names and detailed data structure are not provided.

Provenance

Source

Australian Ocean Data Network

Collection Method

Incubation experiments on sieved intertidal sediments, with foraminifera counts, voltammetric microelectrode measurements, and PLFA analysis.

Time Range

null

Freshness

null

Geography

Intertidal sediments; specific location not stated.