The effects of gas extraction under intertidal mudflats on sediment and macrozoobenthic communities

Gas extraction-induced subsidence in the Dutch Wadden Sea increases mud fraction and decreases median grain size in intertidal sediments without significantly affecting total macrozoobenthic biomass. However, it alters community composition by favoring species that inhabit deeper areas while reducing those adapted to shallower habitats. This study analyzed 12 years of monitoring data (2008–2020) from nearly 4600 sampling points, comparing sediment and macrozoobenthos within subsided and non-subsided zones while controlling for key environmental drivers. Findings suggest that land subsidence, exacerbated by sea level rise, may require management intervention under the 'hand on the tap' principle, but clear thresholds for natural value indicators (e.g., grain size, mud fraction, macrozoobenthic composition) are needed to guide policy. The research highlights the need for proactive monitoring and predefined criteria to safeguard ecological integrity in such vulnerable ecosystems.

de la Barra, P., Aarts, G., & Bijleveld, A. (2023). The effects of gas extraction under intertidal mudflats on sediment and macrozoobenthic communities. Journal of Applied Ecology, 61(2), 390–405. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2664.14530