Bioturbation Under Stress: Linking Coastal Environmental Change to the Physiology and Function of Marine Bioturbators

Abstract Coastal benthic habitats are increasingly exposed to human-driven environmental changes, resulting in multiple co-occurring stressors. Bioturbators, which provide vital ecosystem services, are particularly vulnerable due to their limited mobility and are directly exposed to these multiple stressors. However, the ecological impacts of these stressors on bioturbators, especially their activity levels, remain poorly understood. This review synthesizes current knowledge on how selected environmental stressors, including extreme weather events, eutrophication, and anthropogenic emissions, affect bioturbation, organismal physiology and survival. Reported impacts vary widely depending on the species and stressors’ intensity. The strongest negative effects were typically observed under high-intensity stressor scenarios, which sometimes exceeded environmentally relevant thresholds. However, only a few studies examined the combined effects of multiple stressors. Their effects on bioturbators can be neutral, antagonistic, synergistic or additive, highlighting the complexity of stressor interactions in natural systems. The summary of this review suggests that key ecosystem functions provided by bioturbators are threatened by constant exposure to multiple environmental stressors and that ongoing environmental changes are further exacerbating this situation. To better understand the risks faced by these organisms, it is important to explore the combined effects of multiple stressors, to support more accurate predictions and effective conservation and restoration efforts.