Half a century of monitoring macrobenthic animals on tidal flats in the Dutch Wadden Sea

A 50-year study of macrobenthic animals on tidal flats in the Dutch Wadden Sea reveals significant long-term trends driven primarily by climate change and eutrophication. Key findings include a doubling of zoobenthic biomass due to initial nutrient enrichment, followed by de-eutrophication effects observed only in late summer. Climate warming (approximately 2°C) correlated with increased species richness and total late-winter zoobenthic biomass. Bivalve population dynamics were predominantly influenced by top-down regulation, particularly the abundance of epibenthic predators like shore crabs and shrimps, which varied with winter temperatures. Bottom-up processes played a minor role in determining bivalve biomass. The study highlights the impact of climate change and eutrophication on tidal-flat ecosystems, providing unique insights into underlying ecological processes over five decades.

Beukema, J., & Dekker, R. (2020). Half a century of monitoring macrobenthic animals on tidal flats in the Dutch Wadden Sea. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 656, 1–18. https://doi.org/10.3354/meps13555