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Over a long time in the history of earth in Precambrianoceans, otherwise loose sediments were generally sealed bytiered microbial mats (Meysman et al. 2006). These stabi-lizers of sedimentary habitats were probably Wrst under-mined and then overturned by burrowing worms evolved atthe shore, trying to keep away from the vagaries of the tidalsediment surface but still feeding on the microbial biomassabove. Their synergistic bioturbation created a new habitatin an extended sediment layer, gardened by digging, irrigat-ing and letting overlying water to Xush in and out. Thishabitat amelioration allowed for a diversiWed and produc-tive benthic food web. Sluggish epibenthic creatures mighthave been relegated to marginal zones together with tightmats of microbial stabilizers.When the earth warmed up and sea level increased, theinnovative Cambrian revolution swamped the bottom of thesea with animals supported by skeletons which now biotur-bated the sediments from above and below, while spongesand others began to create reefs of epibenthic suspensionfeeders. Complex biogenic benthic habitats arose, vanishedand then were re-invented over and over again in the courseof evolution until today. Erwin (2008) suggests an overallincrease in ecosystem engineering in the course of time. Inthis special issue of

Coastal habitat engineers and the biodiversity in marine sediments