Sublethal effects of oil exposure on infaunal behavior, bioturbation, and sediment oxygen consumption: a mesocosm experiment

A mesocosm experiment was conducted at the Dauphin Island Sea Lab during March 2017 to evaluate the effects of the water accommodated fraction (WAF) of oil on animal behavior, bioturbation, and sediment oxygen demand. We exposed two infaunal taxa, the polychaete, Owenia fusiformis, and the brittle star, Hemipholis elongata, to sublethal concentrations of WAF in infaunal assemblages of both mixed and single-species. Data on animal feeding behavior, bioturbation, sediment water content, and sediment oxygen demand are included.