Burrows Research Articles

Microplastic from beach sediment to tissue: a case study on burrowing crab Dotilla blanfordi.

Microplastics (MPs) are pervasive pollutants in the marine environment, exhibiting persistence in coastal sediment over extended periods. However, the mechanism of their uptake by marine organisms and distribution in habitat is less understood. The objective of the present study was to investigate the presence of MP contamination in burrow sediment, feeding pellets, and tissue of Dotilla blanfordi in the Gulf of Kachchh, Gujarat State. A total of 500 g of burrow sediment, 100 g of feeding pellets, and body tissue of 10 resident D. blanfordi were pooled as one replica. Such seven replicas from each site were analyzed for MP extraction from three sites, including Asharmata, Mandvi, and Serena, located in the Gulf of Kachchh. The standard protocol was used during the analysis of the collected samples in order to isolate MPs. The abundance of MP was found higher in burrow sediment, feeding pellets and tissue of D. blanfordi at study site Mandvi, followed by Serena and Asharmata. The abundance of MP was found higher in D. blanfordi tissue, followed by burrow sediment and feeding pellet. A significant variation was observed in MP abundance among burrow sediment, feeding pellets, and tissue. MPs with various shapes (fiber, film, and fragment), sizes (1-2, 2-3, 3-4, and 4-5 mm), and colors (blue, green, black, pink, purple, red transparent) were recorded from all the study sites. Polyurethane and polyvinyl chloride were recognized as the chemical profile of the extracted MPs. The current investigation revealed greater accumulation of MPs in D. blanfordi's tissues compared to sediment and pellets, suggesting a risk of MP contamination in marine benthic fauna with a greater rate of bioaccumulation. D. blanfordi plays a significant role as a structuring agent for MP distribution in the intertidal flat through burrowing activity.

Assessment of Drainage System in Bangetayu Kulon Village, Genuk District, Semarang City

The drainage system is infrastructure related to urban spatial planning and must be considered. This planning was carried out in Bangetayu Kulon Village, Genuk District, Semarang City, which consists of residential, commercial and other areas. Bangetayu Kulon sub-district has inundation problems at several points due to a lack of channel capacity caused by high sedimentation at the bottom of the channel, vegetation, rubbish and changes in land use. In evaluating the drainage system, a 5 year return period hydrological analysis will be carried out using EPA SWMM 5.1 software. Apart from that, a hydraulic analysis will also be carried out which begins with an analysis of existing conditions, then applies SUDS and continues with evaluation through channel normalization in the form of sediment burrowing and changes in channel dimensions. The concept of implementing SUDS in the Bangetayu Kulon Village drainage system is the application of Permeable Pavement on road areas that do not yet have paving pavement of 30,877 m2 and a Retention Pool with a storage capacity of 10,560 m3. This plan succeeded in reducing flooding by 52.06% from initially 147.82 x 106 L to 70.84 x 106 L.

The long-term dynamics of invasive signal crayfish forcing of fluvial sediment supply via riverbank burrowing

Animals are important drivers of sediment dynamics. Invasive signal crayfish (Pacifastacus leniusculus) have been shown to supply sediment to rivers by burrowing into riverbanks. Burrowing directly transfers excavated sediment into the river and also has an additional indirect affect by promoting riverbank failure. While previous research has isolated burrow densities at a point in time, rates of burrow construction and of burrow loss due to erosion are unknown, which introduces uncertainty into estimates of how much sediment burrows contribute to rivers. Here we report results from a 5-year study that evaluated the temporal dynamics of crayfish populations, rates of burrow loss due to erosion, and the mass of sediment directly supplied to rivers by burrow excavation. At ten reaches across five lowland streams in England, we estimated the mass of sediment displaced by 1861 new and previously constructed burrows. Both crayfish and burrow densities were variable over time, suggesting that burrows contribute temporally variable amounts of fine sediment to riverine systems. 42 % of observed burrows were constructed within the previous 365 days, and individual burrows lasted on average 461 days. Applying this to comparable historical data, an average of 2.0 t km−1 a−1 of sediment was excavated to construct burrows in the study reaches, which is eight times more than estimated in previous studies. Whilst total burrow densities in each year were not consistently correlated with contemporary crayfish densities, the mass of sediment excavated over the prior year was strongly correlated with contemporary crayfish densities. Current fine sediment management practices are largely aimed at controlling fine sediment delivery, predominately from agricultural activities, but biotic burrowing into riverbanks may represent an important and overlooked source of fine sediment supply. Incorporation of biotic processes in sediment dynamics would improve the accuracy of fluvial sediment budgets and enhance the knowledge base underpinning effective fine-sediment management practices.

Effects of fiddler crab bioturbation on the geochemical migration and bioavailability of heavy metals in coastal wetlands

Fiddler crabs, found in coastal wetlands worldwide, function as ecosystem engineers. Their burrowing activity can significantly alter biogeochemistry at the local scale, however, the mobility of heavy metals (HMs) in burrow sediments remains unclear. Here, we used diffusive gradients in thin-film probes to obtain bioavailable Fe and HMs (Cu, Zn, Ni, Cd, Pb, Co, and Mo) in crab burrows from coastal wetlands (mudflats, salt marshes, and mangroves). The depth-profile results showed that most HMs were enriched at shallow and deep depths but deficient at middle depths. We highlighted that bioturbation improved oxic conditions, enhanced HM concentrations, and favored dissolved HM retention in burrow sediments, which served as a sink for overlying water HMs via burrow flushing but a potential source of particle HMs via enhanced resuspension. In deep anoxic layers, Fe(III) reduction drove the remobilization of HMs, except Cu and Mo, leading to the co-release of HMs with Fe. This Fe-HM coupling/decoupling was verified using enhanced two-dimensional high-resolution imaging, which revealed highly spatial heterogeneity of multiple HMs. Moreover, the hydrological conditions regulating bioturbation effects on HM behavior varied across different coastal wetlands. With coastal environmental changes, the key role of ubiquitous bioturbation in HM migration and bioavailability should be reconsidered.

Can the bioturbation activity of the fiddler crab Minuca rapax modify the distribution of microplastics in sediments?

Fiddler crabs are known as “eco-engineers” who maintain habitat health through sediment bioturbation. They regularly interact with microplastics (MPs) due to their contact with the sediment. In this study we compared MPs concentration between burrows and pellets resulting from bioturbation, and MPs bioaccumulation in the soft tissues of Minuca rapax (Smith, 1870), along a gradient of urbanization in Isla del Carmen, southern Gulf of Mexico. Overall, MPs shape and color in the pellets and in the tissues reflected those of the burrow's sediments. MPs were more abundant and diverse in burrows (9 ± 12 MPs.g−1) than in pellets (5 ± 5 MPs.g−1) or in the soft tissues (1.3 ± 1.2 MPs.g−1). Bioturbation can concentrate MPs in pellets and tissues, depending on the MPs contamination and urbanization level. M. rapax is an important structuring agent of sedimentary MPs, showing a strong top-down translocation of MPs in subtropical tidal flats.

Interactions of Soil and Vegetation Determine Habitat for Southeastern Pocket Gopher (Geomys pinetis)

Pocket gophers (Geomyidae) require soils amenable to burrowing and vegetation communities that provide adequate foods. We examined the interplay of soil texture and vegetation structure in determining site occupancy of the southeastern pocket gopher (Geomys pinetis), a species of conservation concern throughout its range. Using a case-control sampling design, we compared vegetation structure and soil texture between occupied and unoccupied sites in southeastern Alabama. All occupied sites had soil clay content ≤8.05% at 0–20 cm depth. In logistic regression modeling, clay content had overwhelming support as the most important single habitat variable distinguishing occupied from unoccupied sites. Based on soil results, we focused our examination of vegetation structure on the subset of our sites with <10% clay at 0–20 cm depth. Relative odds of occupancy were highest at intermediate levels of canopy cover; however, canopy cover at occupied sites ranged widely. Compared to unoccupied sites, occupied sites contained less midstory cover and greater ground cover of graminoids and shrubs. Our results demonstrate that although vegetation structure is important in determining site suitability, soil texture may be an overriding constraint limiting potential habitat for this species. Conservation actions for southeastern pocket gophers such as habitat restoration and population translocations should ensure that target sites have suitable low-clay soils.

Microbiome analyses and presence of cable bacteria in the burrow sediment of Upogebia pugettensis

We utilized methods of sediment cultivation, catalyzed reporter deposition-fluorescence in situ hybridization, scanning electron microscopy, and 16s rRNA gene sequencing to investigate the presence of novel filamentous cable bacteria (CB) in estuarine sediments bioturbated by the mud shrimp Upogebia pugettensis Dana and also to test for trophic connections between the shrimp, a commensal bivalve (Neaeromya rugifera), and the sediment. Agglutinated sediments from the linings of shrimp burrows exhibited higher abundances of CB compared to surrounding suboxic and anoxic sediments. Furthermore, CB abundance and activity increased in these sediments when they were incubated under oxygenated seawater. Through core microbiome analysis, we found that the microbiomes of the shrimp and bivalve shared 181 taxa with the sediment bacterial community, and that these shared taxa represented 17.9% of all reads. Therefore, bacterial biomass in the burrow sediment lining is likely a major food source for both the shrimp and the bivalve. The biogeochemical conditions created by shrimp burrows and other irrigators may help promote the growth of CB and select for other dominant members of the bacterial community, particularly a variety of members of the Proteobacteria. These associations give new understanding to the ecology of a burrowing crustacean that is common, but in decline, throughout intertidal mudflats of Northeastern Pacific estuaries.

Scabies burrow under a dermatoscope.

Scabies burrow under a dermatoscope.

Convergent evolution inspired serrated structure for improving efficiency of soil imprinting and its mechanism investigation

Remarkable geometrical similarities are found in digging claws of soil burrowing animals, in spite of the fact that they evolved independently. Based on convergent evolution theory, this study innovatively proposed a bionic engineering perspective that focuses on general and analogous geometrical characteristics of soil animals. It was observed that soil animals with powerful burrowing ability have analogous serrated structures on their digging claws. Taking soil imprinting toothed wheel as the research object, the hypothesis that special serrated structures have the potential of reducing penetrating resistance from soil and enhancing digging efficiency for soil engaging component was investigated. The convergent evolution inspired bionic serrated structures were utilized for the design of cutting edge on toothed wheel. Then, a toothed wheel that mounted with the conventional tooth and a bionic tooth were manufactured and tested in the soil bin. Results showed that special bionic serrated structure could reduce the required draft force for toothed wheel; meanwhile increase the depth and volume of prepared micro-basin. It was found that the soil-penetrating mechanism of the bionic toothed wheel behaved as saw cutting that similar to the digging behavior of soil burrowing animals. Geometry of serrated structure has the ability to maximum stress concentrations in soil, thus increased the tendency of soil material to fail. These results indicate that the convergent evolution inspired bionic approach is novel and advantageous for the design of new soil engaging implements for working quality optimization and forward resistance reduction. Keywords: convergent evolution, bionic serrated structure, soil imprinting, soil-engaging component, bionic agricultural machinery DOI: 10.25165/j.ijabe.20191204.3638 Citation: Zhang Z H, Li Y, Tong J, Carr S. Convergent evolution inspired serrated structure for improving efficiency of soil imprinting and its mechanism investigation. Int J Agric & Biol Eng, 2019; 12(4): 16–26.

Key colonist pools and habitat filters mediate the composition of fiddler crab–associated bacterial communities

The diversity and composition of local communities depends strongly on the pool of species that have been able to colonize that community from elsewhere. Typically this is thought to depend on a larger regional species pool that is subject to local environmental constraints that act as "filters." Often, however, colonists arrive from multiple sources that differ in habitat conditions and have therefore already experienced distinct "prefiltering." Consequently, it is the interaction of species from these distinct pools that determine the composition of local communities. This interaction is particularly important when certain colonist pools provide keystone species with disproportionate roles on community assembly. We propose to identify these key colonist pools and their interaction with local habitat filters by quantifying community-level responses to colonist pool manipulation. We tested this framework to assess the contribution of surface and burrow sediment bacteria to bacterial communities associated with the fiddler crab, Uca panacea. In a mesocosm experiment, we combined normal and autoclaved surface and burrow sediment in a factorial experimental design, and we evaluated the community-level responses of carapace and gut microbial assemblages to sediment treatments with next-generation sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene. Results from carapace bacterial communities indicate that burrow sediments contribute most recruits, but surface sediments provide a few key colonizers that become established in the carapace community. In contrast, the composition of gut-associated microbial communities responded only to surface bacteria manipulation, despite being highly dissimilar from the community composition in both the surface and burrow source pools. These results suggest that assembly in the gut depends primarily on colonization from the surface sediment and regulation by habitat filtering. For fiddler crab-associated bacteria, we can conclude that key colonist pools and habitat filters regulate the influence of multiple colonist pools. Incorporating and distinguishing the contribution of multiple sources of species, rather than a single regional species pool, may better explain community dynamics in many systems, especially those with weak habitat filters.

Bioturbation of peanut worms Sipunculus nudus on the composition of prokaryotic communities in a tidal flat as revealed by 16S rRNA gene sequences.

To understand the impacts of peanut worms Sipunculus nudus on the prokaryotic community composition in a tidal flat, an onsite investigation was conducted in Suixi in the Beibu Gulf (109.82E, 21.35N) in the burrow sediments, non‐burrow sediments and the sediments without peanut worm disturbance (control). The16S rRNA gene Illumina MiSeq sequencing was used to investigate the microbial communities and their response to bioturbation by S. nudus in a sandy tidal flat. A total of 18 bacteria phyla were detected, and Proteobacteria and Cyanobacteria constituted the majority of the prokaryotic community in the samples. The distribution of the relative abundances of genera showed that approximately 6.99%–17% of the reads in the samples were classified into 25 known genera. Sulfate‐reducing bacteria (Desulfococcus and Desulfosarcina) were the most abundant taxa, followed by Thermodesulfovibrionaceae LCP‐6, indicating that sulfate reduction is the main process in the sandy tidal flat. The abundances of Desulfococcus, LCP‐6 and Cyanobacterium in the non‐burrow sediment were greater than in the burrow sediment, suggesting that the anoxic condition is more suitable for Desulfococcus and LCP‐6 when the activity of S. nudus is absent. The biomass of Cyanobacterium was decreased by the feeding bioturbation of S. nudus. Meanwhile, the relative abundance of the Bacteroidetes Luteimonas in the burrow sediments was significantly greater than in the non‐burrow sediment, and there was a strong relationship between S. nudus bioturbation and increased in oxygen contents and oxidation‐reduction potentials in the burrow sediment. The abundances of Desulfococcus and LCP‐6 were greater in the middle layer (20–30 cm) than in the top layer in the non‐burrow sediment. However, the middle and bottom layers (20–30, 30–40 cm) had higher abundances of these genera than did the upper layers (0–10, 10–20 cm) in the burrow sediments. The abundances of the Fusobacteria Propionigenium and the Spirochaetes Spirochaeta were greater in the middle and bottom layers (20–30 cm, 30–40 cm) than in the top layers (0–10, 10–20 cm) in the burrow sediment, but this phenomenon was not found in the non‐burrow sediment. This study demonstrates that bioturbation by S. nudus plays an important role in reshaping the bacterial community composition in intertidal regions.

LOWER TRIASSIC (INDUAN TO OLENEKIAN) CONODONTS, FORAMINIFERA AND BIVALVES FROM THE AL MAMALIH AREA, DEAD SEA, JORDAN: CONSTRAINTS ON THE P-T BOUNDARY

Upper Permian to Lower Triassic successions exposed in the Al Mamalih area, east of the Dead Sea, Jordan record the transition between the alluvial Umm Irna Formation (Upper Permian) and the overlying shallow marine Ma’in Formation (Lower Triassic). The Permian-Triassic boundary is constrained either within a hiatus represented by a sequence boundary between these formations or within ca 15 m of shallow marine beds overlying the boundary. Above the sequence boundary reddened, shallow-marine beds (Himara Member) mark the initial Triassic (presumed early Induan) marine transgression (Himara Member). Absence of both body fossils and vertical infaunal burrows indicates low-diversity, ecosystems following the Permian-Triassic extinction event. A gradational upward increase in grey, green and yellow siltstones beds (Nimra Member), accompanied by a concomitant increase in bioturbation (surface traces and infaunal vertical burrows), bivalves and brachiopods, stromatolites, conchostracans and lingulids in the lower part of the Nimra Member indicates colonisation of the substrate under shallow marine conditions during the recovery phase. Shallow-water carbonates in the Nimra Member yielded an abundant, low diversity assemblage of conodonts (e.g. Hd. aequabilis and H. agordina) and a foraminifera assemblage (Postcladella gr. kalhori-Earlandia spp.-Ammodiscus jordanensis n. sp.) that are interpreted as euryhaline recovery taxa that characterise the the mid-late Induan. Abundant new material has allowed revision of the conodont apparatus and the foraminifera include a new species Ammodiscus jordanensis n. sp. of Induan age. The discovery of the bivalves Claraia bittneri (C. aurita group) and Eumorphotis multiformis is worthy to note. Upper Permian alluvial lithofacies (Jordan) pass basinwards, about 50 km to the northwest, to coeval shallow marine siliciclastic and carbonates in the Negev and Mediterranean coast of Israel.

The parasitism of Persian jird by immature stages of Hyalomma asiaticum (Acari: Ixodidae) and its identification using molecular approaches in Iran

In the present study, occurrence of Hyalomma asiaticum on wild rodents was explored. Rodents were trapped using Sherman traps. The tick specimens were collected by forceps from the rodents. Overall, one larva and 59 nymphs of immature ticks were collected on 23 Meriones persicus from three different locations in western Iran. A 408 bp length fragment of nuclear 5.8S /internal transcribed spacer 2 ( ITS2 ) genes was amplified in 60 examined tick specimens using PCR, of which one sample was sequenced, successfully. The BLAST results showed 99% similarity between a new haplotype from this study and two sequences of H. asiaticum from GenBank and. Therefore, we conclude that immature stages of H. asiaticum live on M. persicus and/ or their burrows. This finding helps us to better understand tick's ecology and control tick borne diseases.

Are burrowing snakes digging their own evolutionary grave?

Are burrowing snakes digging their own evolutionary grave?

Multiple colonist pools shape fiddler crab-associated bacterial communities.

Colonization is a key component of community assembly because it continuously contributes new species that can potentially establish and adds individuals to established populations in local communities. Colonization is determined by the regional species pool, which is typically viewed as stable at ecological time scales. Yet, many natural communities including plants, birds and microbes, are exposed to several distinct and dynamic sources of colonists and how multiple colonist pools interact to shape local communities remains unclear. Using a 16S rRNA amplicon survey, we profiled bacteria within surface, subsurface and burrow sediments and assessed their role as colonist pools for fiddler crab-associated bacteria. We found significant differences in composition among sediment types, driven by halophilic taxa in the surface, and different Desulfobacteraceae taxa in the subsurface and burrow. Bacteria from burrow sediment colonized the crab carapace whereas gut bacterial communities were colonized by burrow and surface sediment bacteria. Despite distinct colonist pools influencing gut bacteria, variation in composition across gut samples did not lead to significant clusters. In contrast, carapace bacterial communities clustered in six distinct groups loosely associated with crab species. Our findings suggest that multiple colonist pools can influence local communities but factors explaining variation in community composition depend on local habitats. Recognizing multiple colonist pools expands our understanding of the interaction between regional and local processes driving community structure and diversity.

Cave and burrow crickets of the subfamily Bothriophylacinae (Orthoptera: Myrmecophilidae) in Iran and adjacent countries

The composition, distribution, morphology and bionomics of the cricket subfamily Bothriophylacinae are briefly discussed. The following taxa are described and redescribed on the base of type material: Microbothriophylacini Gorochov trib. nov.; Eremogryllodes iranicus Tahami et Gorochov sp. nov., E. persicus Tahami et Gorochov sp. nov., E. p. torangae Tahami et Gorochov subsp. nov., E. p. lari Tahami et Gorochov subsp. nov., E. dilutus Tahami et Gorochov sp. nov., E. d. bakhtiyari Tahami et Gorochov subsp. nov. and E. bifurcatus Tahami et Gorochov sp. nov. from Iran; E. b. turcicus Gorochov et Ünal subsp. nov. from Turkey; E. major Chopard from Afghanistan; E. monodi Chopard from North Africa; Bothriophylax kiritshenkoi Gorochov et Tahami sp. nov.; B.? richteri Chopard from Iran; and B. rjabovi Gorochov sp. nov. from Armenia. Key to tribes and genera of Bothriophylacinae is also prepared.

Occupation of burrows as a means of estimating the harvest of Short-tailed Shearwaters in Tasmania

The harvest of Short-tailed Shearwater chicks during the 1977, 1978 and 1979 seasons was estimated by counting bur- rows along transects in colonies before and after the season. Analysis of results showed that only five transects, each 100 metres long, were required to estimate accurately the proportion of burrows occupied. During incubation in December the mean percentage of burrows occupied in the 1979 season was seventy-six per cent. Before the season opened in March, it declined to between thirty-five and sixty-five per cent each season. Counting in April after the season showed that, in the colony reserved for non-commercial or private use, over eighty per cent of the chicks originally present in March were taken but at the colony reserved for commercial purposes the mean crop over three seasons was thirty-five per cent. Short-tailed Shearwaters are in no danger from exploitation but some heavily harvested colonies could be.

THE PERMIAN -TRIASSIC BOUNDARY, DEAD SEA, JORDAN: TRANSITIONAL ALLUVIAL TO MARINE DEPOSITIONAL SEQUENCES AND BIOSTRATIGRAPHY

The Permian to Triassic transition in Jordan is characterised by a sequence boundary underlain by red-bed, alluvial lithofacies deposited in a humid-tropical climate by low-sinuosity rivers, and overlain by shallow marine siliciclastics with thin carbonates. The low-gradient alluvial floodplain was repeatedly subjected to the development of ferralitic and pisolitic paleosols on the interfluves. In contrast, dysaerobic environments in the fluvial channels and abandoned lakes resulted in the preservation of a prolific flora of macro-plants and palynomorphs that indicate a probable range from Mid- to Late Permian age, though the abundant presence of the distinctive pollen Pretricolpipollenites bharadwajii indicates the youngest part of that range. Above the sequence boundary, reddened shallow-marine beds characterised by ripple cross-laminated, siltstones/sandstone with desiccation cracks and sparse surface burrows mark the initial Triassic marine transgression in the region (Arabian Plate Tr 10). These are followed by two thin limestone (packstone) beds with shallow scours and bivalve shell lags, that have yielded a low diversity assemblage of conodonts (e.g. Hadrodontina aequabilis ) and foraminifera (“ Cornuspira ” mahajeri ) that are interpreted as euryhaline taxa characterising the early Induan (Early Triassic). Thus the absence of body fossils and vertical infaunal burrows in the lowest marine beds may reflect low-diversity ecosystems following the Permian-Triassic extinction event, or be a result of stressed shallow marine environments. A gradational upward increase in grey, green and yellow siltstones beds accompanied by a concomitant increase in bioturbation (and infaunal vertical burrows) and thin-shelled bivalves about 15 m above the boundary indicates colonisation of the substrate under more normal shallow marine conditions perhaps indicating recovery phase following the extinction event.

Host Relation, Size and Reproduction in the Burrowing Barnacle Trypetesa lampas (Hancock) (Crustacea Cirripedia Acrothoracica).

Sofie K. D. Nielsen, Jens T. Høeg, and Yoichi Yusa (2016) The aim of this study is to investigate the population biology of the burrowing barnacle Trypetesa lampas, a symbiont of hermit crabs and representing the little known cirripede group Acrothoracica. We put special emphasis on the host-barnacle relation and reproduction. A total of 341 hermit crabs from the west coast of Sweden was captured in November 2009 and August 2010, and examined for the associated burrowing barnacles. We found a mean load of 1.4 T. lampas per host and an average prevalence of 31.4% with no seasonal variation. Male hermit crabs also carried T. lampas, indicating that T. lampas does not rely on egg-predation to any substantial degree. The T. lampas load was positively related to host size, but otherwise their frequency distribution did not differ from random. The position of the burrow in the columella of the shell was positively associated with T. lampas size. Reproduction seems to occur throughout the year. We found ovigerous females also in winter, although less frequently than in summer, and no difference in the number of dwarf males between the summer and winter samples. The data from the present study site deviates in many respects (prevalence, female and male load, reproductive cycle, host relation) from previous studies on this and closely related acrothoracican species. This emphasizes that a basic lack of knowledge still exists concerning most aspects of acrothoracican reproduction, life cycles and host relation.

Redox oscillation and benthic nitrogen mineralization within burrowed sediments: An experimental simulation at low frequency

Possible effects of sediment ventilation by benthic organisms on the nitrogen cycle were investigated using an experimental setup that mimicked stable or relatively low frequency oscillating redox conditions potentially found in bioturbated deposits. Three different conditions inside burrowed sediments were simulated using 2mm thick sediment layers: 1) continuously oxic sediment exposed to oxygenated overlying bottom water (e.g., burrow walls, surface sediment), 2) continuously anoxic sediment out of reach from either O2 or NO3− diffusion and 3) the lining/boundary of burrow structures or sediment pockets (e.g., excavated during feeding) subject to intermittent irrigation and redox fluctuations over several day timescales. Results demonstrated that intermittent redox fluctuations allowed sustained denitrification and episodic nitrification, whereas significant denitrification and both nitrification and denitrification were absent after ~5–10days from continuously oxidized and anoxic zones respectively. Intermittent redox oscillations enhance metabolic diversity, magnify loss of dissolved inorganic N to solution, and permit sustained coupling between ammonification, nitrification, and denitrification despite lack of a stable stratified oxic-anoxic redox structure. Even relatively low frequency redox oscillations induce greater N loss compared to sediment that is continuously exposed to oxic and anoxic conditions.