Benthic Ecology – Infauna
Ever wonder what lives within the sandy, muddy Lagoon sediment? Quite a lot actually! In a size 10.5 footprint, there may be as many as 8600 individual animals! The organisms that live within the sediment are known as infauna. These are animals like worms, clams, mussels, snails, and small crustaceans. Infauna are important because they help with nutrient and organic matter cycling and reductions. They also provide a food sources to fish, from tiny species up to large sport like the red drum. Since the infauna remain stationary and respond rapidly to stress, scientists can use them to track for changes due to environmental disturbances. To find out more about how scientists are using infauna to monitor the Lagoon health, check out the work by the Benthic Ecology Lab at Smithsonian Marine Station. You can find their link on our website.
Website
Benthic Ecology Lab at Smithsonian Marine Station
https://irlspecies.org/misc/benthic_story.php
Follow them on Twitter and Instagram @ @BenthicBrigade
