This video shows the natural burrowing activity of these marine polychaetes. They actively ventilate and construct their burrows (bioirrigation) and thus transport oxygenated seawater into deeper sediment layers and create localised oxidized zones around their galleries.
This oxygen supply stimulates aerobic microbial activity, enhances organic matter mineralization and limits the development of strongly reducing conditions associated with sulfide (H₂S) formation. These interactions between polychaetes, microorganisms and sediments are essential processes that regulate sediment biogeochemistry and nutrient cycling in coastal marine ecosystems .