It has been widely accepted that physical effects such as sedimentation and iceberg scouring are the main structuring factors for benthic population dynamics in Arctic coastal ecosystems. By conducting field experiments we have shown for the first time that biotic factors may also be important. For example, the bioturbating activity by lugworms significantly affects the occurrence of other benthic species in the Arctic. Thus, biotic interactions should also be considered as an important community structuring factor in Arctic coastal ecosystems.

Petrowski S, Molis M, Schachtl K. Buschbaum C (2015) Do bioturbation and consumption affect coastal Arctic marine soft-bottom communities? Polar Biology DOI 10.1007/s00300-015-1654-7