Abstract
Adult bioturbating clams may be used as a bioremediation species to facilitate recovery trajectories of disturbed estuarine soft‐sediment habitats. This study can inform future restoration trials on how bivalve translocations can functionally restore defaunated intertidal sediments. It is crucial for the successful restoration of sand flats to ensure that levels of degradation are within the ecological range for species survival. Moreover, estuarine management should incorporate functional outcomes into restoration planning, rather than consider species reintroduction metrics alone. Large‐scale restoration efforts will need to balance impacts on source populations, which may need augmenting with hatchery‐reared juveniles.