Short-Term Macrofaunal Recolonization of Sediment and Epibenthic Habitats in Tampa Bay, Florida

Macrofaunal recolonization of experimentally defaunated sediments and epibenthic tubecaps was studied in Tampa Bay, Florida, over the time scale of hours and days. In both infaunal and epifaunal systems, adult age classes rapidly colonized experimental treatments. Within 7.5 h after defaunation of sediment patches (100 cm²) densities of dominant macrofauna returned to control levels. Demersal trap evidence suggested that benthic crustaceans and adults of the polychaete Polydora ligni were present in the water column during our field investigation. Macrobenthic polychaetes and amphipods repopulated defaunated epibenthic structure (Diopatra cuprea tube-caps) within 1.8 d by moving through the water column and/or sediments.