Articles | Volume 23, issue 7
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-23-2477-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-23-2477-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
15 Apr 2026
Research article |
| 15 Apr 2026
| 15 Apr 2026
Worms and storms: shedding light on bioturbation and physical mixing on an intertidal flat by combining multiple tracers
Tjitske J. Kooistra
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, Department of Estuarine and Delta Systems, Korringaweg 7, 4401 NT Yerseke, the Netherlands
Faculty of Geoscience, Utrecht University, Princetonlaan 8a, 3584 CB Utrecht, the Netherlands
Anna-Maartje de Boer
Wageningen University and Research, Soil Geography and Landscape group & Netherlands Centre for Luminescence dating, Droevendaalsesteeg 3, 6708 PB Wageningen, the Netherlands
Tjeerd J. Bouma
Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, Department of Estuarine and Delta Systems, Korringaweg 7, 4401 NT Yerseke, the Netherlands
Faculty of Geoscience, Utrecht University, Princetonlaan 8a, 3584 CB Utrecht, the Netherlands
Natascia Pannozzo
Faculty of Civil Engineering and Geosciences, Delft University of Technology, Stevinweg 1, 2628 CN Delft, the Netherlands
Stuart G. Pearson
Faculty of Civil Engineering and Geosciences, Delft University of Technology, Stevinweg 1, 2628 CN Delft, the Netherlands
Ad van der Spek
Deltares, Boussinesqweg 1, 2629 HV Delft, the Netherlands
Henko de Stigter
Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, Department of Ocean Systems, Landsdiep 4, 1797 SZ 't Horntje, the Netherlands
Jakob Wallinga
Wageningen University and Research, Soil Geography and Landscape group & Netherlands Centre for Luminescence dating, Droevendaalsesteeg 3, 6708 PB Wageningen, the Netherlands
Rob Witbaard
Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, Department of Estuarine and Delta Systems, Korringaweg 7, 4401 NT Yerseke, the Netherlands
Karline Soetaert
Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, Department of Estuarine and Delta Systems, Korringaweg 7, 4401 NT Yerseke, the Netherlands
Faculty of Geoscience, Utrecht University, Princetonlaan 8a, 3584 CB Utrecht, the Netherlands
Data sets
Worms and storms: shedding light on bioturbation and physical mixing on an intertidal flat by combining multiple tracers [data and code] Tjitske J. Kooistra et al. https://doi.org/10.25850/nioz/7b.b.ak
Short summary
On intertidal flats, it is hard to distinguish sediment mixing by animals from reworking by waves and currents. We combined tracers to identify reworking of grains of different sizes on the short- and long term. Coarse (sand) grains were less mobile than fine (mud) grains, and partly kept their layering after deposition. The luminescence properties of sand grains can be used for sediment dating and can show sediment mixing, but this method needs to be tested more for young, intertidal sediments.
On intertidal flats, it is hard to distinguish sediment mixing by animals from reworking by...
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