Stratified vertical sediment profiles increase burrowing crab effects on salt marsh edaphic conditions

Abstract Burrowing animals can profoundly affect the biological structure and ecosystem functions of their environments. For instance, burrowing crabs increase sediment deposition facilitate homogenization turnover, with potential impacts to biogeochemistry. However, relative importance on dynamics vary considerably between, within, habitats. Sediment properties influence how will edaphic conditions, but these studies often assume homogenous conditions fail consider change depth. Thus, understanding crab effects are influenced by vertical profile should inform where conditions. Here, we conducted an intensive field survey across three tidal salt marshes variable understand if marsh profiles help predict nature crab–sediment relationships. We found that homogenize sediments in all marshes, were greater highly stratified profiles. Our study suggests a may provide critical insights into physical characteristics surface sediments—especially restored, created, managed marshes.