10.18453/rosdok_id00004543 Forster, Stefan Stefan Forster https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2296-0769 University of Rostock, Department of Marine Biology Powilleit, Martin Martin Powilleit http://d-nb.info/gnd/133051072 University of Rostock, Department of Marine Biology Pülm, Laura Laura Pülm University of Rostock, Department of Marine Biology Lemke, Josephin Josephin Lemke University of Rostock, Department of Marine Biology Runkel, Claudia Claudia Runkel University of Rostock, Department of Marine Biology University of Rostock 2024 570 Life science 2024 en https://purl.uni-rostock.de/rosdok/id00004543 urn:nbn:de:gbv:28-rosdok_id00004543-2 During an investigation on the effects that bottom-trawling, we found that otter boards that keep the nets open, bury surface sediment at a few centimeters sediment depth. This is also done by animals living in the sediment and the process is considered very important for sediment ecosystem integrity. We try to differentiate between the two and estimate that natural bioturbation is much more likely than otter board sediment reversal in OUR sediment areas.