Density-dependent effects of parasitism on the activity of a benthic engineer species: potential impact on ecosystem functioning

While parasitism is a common lifestyle on Earth, its importance for the functioning of marine ecosystems has been overlooked for a long time. In particular, parasites have significant potential to influence central ecological processes through their impacts on hosts that serve as ecosystem engineers. Using an ex-situ experimental approach, we explored the effects of trematode parasites on the engineering bioturbation activity of a common and abundant bivalve along European Atlantic soft-bottom coastlines, the peppery furrow shell Scrobicularia plana, as well as knock-on effects for nutrient exchanges at the sediment-water interface. Trematodes negatively impacted the host’s ability to transport sediment particles and solutes in a density-dependent way with parasite burden explaining 22–31% of the inter-individual variability. This could be explained by parasitism impairing the bivalve physiological state and ability to burrow as we observed a decrease in the condition index and the burr..., , , # Density-dependent effects of parasitism on the activity of a benthic engineer species: potential impact on ecosystem functioning

This data set encompasses two .csv files, namely \"dataset_coefficient_OIKOS_Dairain.csv\" and \"dataset_profils_bromide_luminophore_OIKOS_Dairain.csv\".

## Description of the data and file structure

### **File \"dataset\_coefficient\_OIKOS\_Dairain.csv\"**

In this file, the reader will find values for different coefficients determined for each bivalve. Below are the details of the different column names:

* \"sample\": name of the sample

* \"site\": where the bivalve has been collected.

* \"bivalve\": control vs. with bivalve. Control experimental units did not contain any bivalve.

* \"replicat\": replicate number

* \"Parvatrema_minutum\": infection with the parasite Parvatrema minutum (yes vs no vs NA = not applicable for when there was no bivalve)

* \"Sum_metacercaria_Himasthla\": total number of metacercariae of the Himasthla genus in the bivalve (...