Microbial influence on the formation and subsequent changes of vertebrate tracks: field experiments on present‐day coastal sediments

Autores
Quijada, Isabel Emma; Maisano, Lucia; Pan, Jeronimo; Yorlano, Maria Florencia; Cuadrado, Diana Graciela
Año de publicación
2025
Idioma
inglés
Tipo de recurso
artículo
Estado
versión publicada
Descripción
The presence of microbial mats is often invoked to explain the good preservation of vertebrate tracks, because they can cover and biostabilize such structures. However, microbial influence on the sediment properties when the track is made and on the track characteristics has not been so thoroughly analysed. This study presents the results of field experiments consisting in the production of human tracks in different inter- to supratidal coastal environments of Argentina that show different degrees of biostabilization. The biostabilization degree, together with the characteristics of the sediment below, strongly control depth, appearance and anatomical fidelity of the tracks, and also influence their subsequent evolution. The development of an epibenthic mat in wet porous sand confers the surface a great resistance to deformation, resulting in shallow (millimetre to 2 cm) tracks with high anatomical fidelity that deform the mat plastically and are resistant to subsequent currents. This contrasts with the tracks made in poorly colonizedsand, which are 2 cm-deep, show vertical walls and are completely eroded by subsequent currents. The development of a biofilm over frequently flooded, wet, soft, muddy or muddy to sandy sediment does not change significantly its rheological properties, resulting in several centimetres-deeptracks with vertical walls, which are preserved through time, although progressively reshaped by currents and burrowing. The development of a biofilm or a microbial mat on supratidal, hard, muddy or mixed muddy to sandy sediments retains moisture and increases adhesiveness, leading to theformation of poorly defined shallow (less than a millimetre to 1 cm) tracks by surficial sediments sticking to the sole and tearing during foot withdrawal. Rapid hardening by desiccation may help to preserve these tracks in supratidal flats.
Fil: Quijada, Isabel Emma. Universidad de Oviedo; España
Fil: Maisano, Lucia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Bahía Blanca. Instituto Argentino de Oceanografía. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Instituto Argentino de Oceanografía; Argentina. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Departamento de Geología; Argentina
Fil: Pan, Jeronimo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mar del Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras. Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras; Argentina
Fil: Yorlano, Maria Florencia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mar del Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras. Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras; Argentina
Fil: Cuadrado, Diana Graciela. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Bahía Blanca. Instituto Argentino de Oceanografía. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Instituto Argentino de Oceanografía; Argentina
Materia
ADHESIVENESS
BIOFILM
FOOTPRINT
MICROBIAL MAT
Nivel de accesibilidad
acceso abierto
Condiciones de uso
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.5/ar/
Repositorio
CONICET Digital (CONICET)
Institución
Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas
OAI Identificador
oai:ri.conicet.gov.ar:11336/282351
Acceder
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repository_id_str 3498
network_name_str CONICET Digital (CONICET)
spelling Microbial influence on the formation and subsequent changes of vertebrate tracks: field experiments on present‐day coastal sedimentsQuijada, Isabel EmmaMaisano, LuciaPan, JeronimoYorlano, Maria FlorenciaCuadrado, Diana GracielaADHESIVENESSBIOFILMFOOTPRINTMICROBIAL MAThttps://purl.org/becyt/ford/1.5https://purl.org/becyt/ford/1The presence of microbial mats is often invoked to explain the good preservation of vertebrate tracks, because they can cover and biostabilize such structures. However, microbial influence on the sediment properties when the track is made and on the track characteristics has not been so thoroughly analysed. This study presents the results of field experiments consisting in the production of human tracks in different inter- to supratidal coastal environments of Argentina that show different degrees of biostabilization. The biostabilization degree, together with the characteristics of the sediment below, strongly control depth, appearance and anatomical fidelity of the tracks, and also influence their subsequent evolution. The development of an epibenthic mat in wet porous sand confers the surface a great resistance to deformation, resulting in shallow (millimetre to 2 cm) tracks with high anatomical fidelity that deform the mat plastically and are resistant to subsequent currents. This contrasts with the tracks made in poorly colonizedsand, which are 2 cm-deep, show vertical walls and are completely eroded by subsequent currents. The development of a biofilm over frequently flooded, wet, soft, muddy or muddy to sandy sediment does not change significantly its rheological properties, resulting in several centimetres-deeptracks with vertical walls, which are preserved through time, although progressively reshaped by currents and burrowing. The development of a biofilm or a microbial mat on supratidal, hard, muddy or mixed muddy to sandy sediments retains moisture and increases adhesiveness, leading to theformation of poorly defined shallow (less than a millimetre to 1 cm) tracks by surficial sediments sticking to the sole and tearing during foot withdrawal. Rapid hardening by desiccation may help to preserve these tracks in supratidal flats.Fil: Quijada, Isabel Emma. Universidad de Oviedo; EspañaFil: Maisano, Lucia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Bahía Blanca. Instituto Argentino de Oceanografía. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Instituto Argentino de Oceanografía; Argentina. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Departamento de Geología; ArgentinaFil: Pan, Jeronimo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mar del Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras. Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras; ArgentinaFil: Yorlano, Maria Florencia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mar del Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras. Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras; ArgentinaFil: Cuadrado, Diana Graciela. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Bahía Blanca. Instituto Argentino de Oceanografía. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Instituto Argentino de Oceanografía; ArgentinaWiley Blackwell Publishing, Inc2025-07info:eu-repo/semantics/articleinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersionhttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_6501info:ar-repo/semantics/articuloapplication/pdfapplication/pdfapplication/pdfapplication/pdfapplication/pdfhttp://hdl.handle.net/11336/282351Quijada, Isabel Emma; Maisano, Lucia; Pan, Jeronimo; Yorlano, Maria Florencia; Cuadrado, Diana Graciela; Microbial influence on the formation and subsequent changes of vertebrate tracks: field experiments on present‐day coastal sediments; Wiley Blackwell Publishing, Inc; Sedimentology; 7-2025; 1-270037-0746CONICET DigitalCONICETenginfo:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/url/https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/sed.70034info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/doi/10.1111/sed.70034info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccesshttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.5/ar/reponame:CONICET Digital (CONICET)instname:Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas2026-03-31T14:57:55Zoai:ri.conicet.gov.ar:11336/282351instacron:CONICETInstitucionalhttp://ri.conicet.gov.ar/Organismo científico-tecnológicoNo correspondehttp://ri.conicet.gov.ar/oai/requestdasensio@conicet.gov.ar; lcarlino@conicet.gov.arArgentinaNo correspondeNo correspondeNo correspondeopendoar:34982026-03-31 14:57:55.614CONICET Digital (CONICET) - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicasfalse
dc.title.none.fl_str_mv Microbial influence on the formation and subsequent changes of vertebrate tracks: field experiments on present‐day coastal sediments
title Microbial influence on the formation and subsequent changes of vertebrate tracks: field experiments on present‐day coastal sediments
spellingShingle Microbial influence on the formation and subsequent changes of vertebrate tracks: field experiments on present‐day coastal sediments
Quijada, Isabel Emma
ADHESIVENESS
BIOFILM
FOOTPRINT
MICROBIAL MAT
title_short Microbial influence on the formation and subsequent changes of vertebrate tracks: field experiments on present‐day coastal sediments
title_full Microbial influence on the formation and subsequent changes of vertebrate tracks: field experiments on present‐day coastal sediments
title_fullStr Microbial influence on the formation and subsequent changes of vertebrate tracks: field experiments on present‐day coastal sediments
title_full_unstemmed Microbial influence on the formation and subsequent changes of vertebrate tracks: field experiments on present‐day coastal sediments
title_sort Microbial influence on the formation and subsequent changes of vertebrate tracks: field experiments on present‐day coastal sediments
dc.creator.none.fl_str_mv Quijada, Isabel Emma
Maisano, Lucia
Pan, Jeronimo
Yorlano, Maria Florencia
Cuadrado, Diana Graciela
author Quijada, Isabel Emma
author_facet Quijada, Isabel Emma
Maisano, Lucia
Pan, Jeronimo
Yorlano, Maria Florencia
Cuadrado, Diana Graciela
author_role author
author2 Maisano, Lucia
Pan, Jeronimo
Yorlano, Maria Florencia
Cuadrado, Diana Graciela
author2_role author
author
author
author
dc.subject.none.fl_str_mv ADHESIVENESS
BIOFILM
FOOTPRINT
MICROBIAL MAT
topic ADHESIVENESS
BIOFILM
FOOTPRINT
MICROBIAL MAT
purl_subject.fl_str_mv https://purl.org/becyt/ford/1.5
https://purl.org/becyt/ford/1
dc.description.none.fl_txt_mv The presence of microbial mats is often invoked to explain the good preservation of vertebrate tracks, because they can cover and biostabilize such structures. However, microbial influence on the sediment properties when the track is made and on the track characteristics has not been so thoroughly analysed. This study presents the results of field experiments consisting in the production of human tracks in different inter- to supratidal coastal environments of Argentina that show different degrees of biostabilization. The biostabilization degree, together with the characteristics of the sediment below, strongly control depth, appearance and anatomical fidelity of the tracks, and also influence their subsequent evolution. The development of an epibenthic mat in wet porous sand confers the surface a great resistance to deformation, resulting in shallow (millimetre to 2 cm) tracks with high anatomical fidelity that deform the mat plastically and are resistant to subsequent currents. This contrasts with the tracks made in poorly colonizedsand, which are 2 cm-deep, show vertical walls and are completely eroded by subsequent currents. The development of a biofilm over frequently flooded, wet, soft, muddy or muddy to sandy sediment does not change significantly its rheological properties, resulting in several centimetres-deeptracks with vertical walls, which are preserved through time, although progressively reshaped by currents and burrowing. The development of a biofilm or a microbial mat on supratidal, hard, muddy or mixed muddy to sandy sediments retains moisture and increases adhesiveness, leading to theformation of poorly defined shallow (less than a millimetre to 1 cm) tracks by surficial sediments sticking to the sole and tearing during foot withdrawal. Rapid hardening by desiccation may help to preserve these tracks in supratidal flats.
Fil: Quijada, Isabel Emma. Universidad de Oviedo; España
Fil: Maisano, Lucia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Bahía Blanca. Instituto Argentino de Oceanografía. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Instituto Argentino de Oceanografía; Argentina. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Departamento de Geología; Argentina
Fil: Pan, Jeronimo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mar del Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras. Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras; Argentina
Fil: Yorlano, Maria Florencia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mar del Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras. Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras; Argentina
Fil: Cuadrado, Diana Graciela. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Bahía Blanca. Instituto Argentino de Oceanografía. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Instituto Argentino de Oceanografía; Argentina
description The presence of microbial mats is often invoked to explain the good preservation of vertebrate tracks, because they can cover and biostabilize such structures. However, microbial influence on the sediment properties when the track is made and on the track characteristics has not been so thoroughly analysed. This study presents the results of field experiments consisting in the production of human tracks in different inter- to supratidal coastal environments of Argentina that show different degrees of biostabilization. The biostabilization degree, together with the characteristics of the sediment below, strongly control depth, appearance and anatomical fidelity of the tracks, and also influence their subsequent evolution. The development of an epibenthic mat in wet porous sand confers the surface a great resistance to deformation, resulting in shallow (millimetre to 2 cm) tracks with high anatomical fidelity that deform the mat plastically and are resistant to subsequent currents. This contrasts with the tracks made in poorly colonizedsand, which are 2 cm-deep, show vertical walls and are completely eroded by subsequent currents. The development of a biofilm over frequently flooded, wet, soft, muddy or muddy to sandy sediment does not change significantly its rheological properties, resulting in several centimetres-deeptracks with vertical walls, which are preserved through time, although progressively reshaped by currents and burrowing. The development of a biofilm or a microbial mat on supratidal, hard, muddy or mixed muddy to sandy sediments retains moisture and increases adhesiveness, leading to theformation of poorly defined shallow (less than a millimetre to 1 cm) tracks by surficial sediments sticking to the sole and tearing during foot withdrawal. Rapid hardening by desiccation may help to preserve these tracks in supratidal flats.
publishDate 2025
dc.date.none.fl_str_mv 2025-07
dc.type.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/article
info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
http://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_6501
info:ar-repo/semantics/articulo
format article
status_str publishedVersion
dc.identifier.none.fl_str_mv http://hdl.handle.net/11336/282351
Quijada, Isabel Emma; Maisano, Lucia; Pan, Jeronimo; Yorlano, Maria Florencia; Cuadrado, Diana Graciela; Microbial influence on the formation and subsequent changes of vertebrate tracks: field experiments on present‐day coastal sediments; Wiley Blackwell Publishing, Inc; Sedimentology; 7-2025; 1-27
0037-0746
CONICET Digital
CONICET
url http://hdl.handle.net/11336/282351
identifier_str_mv Quijada, Isabel Emma; Maisano, Lucia; Pan, Jeronimo; Yorlano, Maria Florencia; Cuadrado, Diana Graciela; Microbial influence on the formation and subsequent changes of vertebrate tracks: field experiments on present‐day coastal sediments; Wiley Blackwell Publishing, Inc; Sedimentology; 7-2025; 1-27
0037-0746
CONICET Digital
CONICET
dc.language.none.fl_str_mv eng
language eng
dc.relation.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/url/https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/sed.70034
info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/doi/10.1111/sed.70034
dc.rights.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.5/ar/
eu_rights_str_mv openAccess
rights_invalid_str_mv https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.5/ar/
dc.format.none.fl_str_mv application/pdf
application/pdf
application/pdf
application/pdf
application/pdf
dc.publisher.none.fl_str_mv Wiley Blackwell Publishing, Inc
publisher.none.fl_str_mv Wiley Blackwell Publishing, Inc
dc.source.none.fl_str_mv reponame:CONICET Digital (CONICET)
instname:Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas
reponame_str CONICET Digital (CONICET)
collection CONICET Digital (CONICET)
instname_str Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas
repository.name.fl_str_mv CONICET Digital (CONICET) - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas
repository.mail.fl_str_mv dasensio@conicet.gov.ar; lcarlino@conicet.gov.ar
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