Journal ArticleDOI
Energy flow in the flora and meiofauna of sandy beaches
TLDR
In this paper, a comparison of community respiration rates for the two beach populations excluding macrofaunal respiration shows that the tropical beach rates (which were constant over the period January-March) were about 9 times the winter rates of the temperate and about twice the summer rates.Abstract:
Investigation of a temperate and tropical beach has shown that, based on chlorophyll a analyses, an epipsammic diatom population present in the temperate beach is absent in the tropical beach. Comparison of community respiration rates for the two beach populations excluding macrofaunal respiration shows that the tropical beach rates (which were constant over the period January-March) were about 9 times the winter rates of the temperate beach and about twice the summer rates. Annual microbial production is estimated at 15 gC/m2 for the temperate beach and 72 gC/m2 for the tropical beach. The greatly increased rate of production in the tropical beach was considered to be a function of increased water flow into that beach. In comparison, meiofauna and macrofauna biomass are less in the tropical beach and their respective production likely to be at most no more than in the temperate beach. It is proposed from experimental studies that the failure of animal populations fully to utilise microbial production in sandy beaches is due to the relative degree of exposure stripping significant quantities of microbial growth from this system. This proposal is discussed as a means of explaining mechanisms of control of animal production in sandy beaches.read more
Citations
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Journal ArticleDOI
Production and fate of kelp detritus
TL;DR: The flow of detritus between habitats is an important form of connectivity that affects regional productivity and the spatial organization of marine ecosystems and can provide a significant resource subsidy and enhance secondary production in these communities ranging from tens of meters to hundreds of kilometers from the source of production.
Marine Habitats. II. Role in Sediment Stability and Shallow-Water Food Webs
TL;DR: It is argued for reductionist studies of particular interactions as distinct entities as a prerequisite for the emergence of a comprehensive picture of unvegetated ecosystems and the ability to predict their responses to man’s activities.
Journal ArticleDOI
Microphytobenthos : The ecological role of the "Secret Garden" of unvegetated, shallow-water marine habitats. II. Role in sediment stability and shallow-water food webs
TL;DR: The microphytobenthos form an important component of all shallow-water ecosystems where enough light reaches the sediment surface to support appreciable primary production as discussed by the authors and can contribute significantly to primary production and can modify habitat characteristics.
Book ChapterDOI
Sandy Beach Ecology — A Review
TL;DR: Sandy beaches dominate most temperate and tropical coastlines where they represent both important recreational assets and buffer zones against the sea In some areas they are very productive and are exploited commercially However, they have been regarded as marine deserts by many biologists.
Journal ArticleDOI
Experimental Analyses of Structural Regulation in a Marine Sand Community Exposed to Oceanic Swell
TL;DR: Analysis of relationships among demersal predators, predator—caused local disturbance, infauna, and infaunal food resources in an exposed marine sand habitat at 17—m depth in southern California, USA shows the importance of recurrent local disturbances by the rays Urolophus halleri and Myliobatis californica.
References
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Journal ArticleDOI
Production Ecology of a Sandy Beach
John H. Steele,I E Baird +1 more
TL;DR: The vertical distribution of pigments and organic matter and the yearly cycle of production in a sandy beach are described for positions at low water and to a sublittoral depth of 13 m.
Journal ArticleDOI
The meiofauna of a flatfish nursery ground
A. D. McIntyre,D. J. Murison +1 more
TL;DR: The meiofauna was studied over a 10-year period on a flatfish nursery ground between the high-water mark and a depth of 10 m below low-water springs, finding good drainage and high concentration of particulate organic carbon.
Journal ArticleDOI
Studies on Tellina tenuis Da Costa. III. Aspects of general biology and energy flow
TL;DR: The ‘condition’ of Tellina at the three localities has improved from 1967 to 1968, and in Firemore has improved steadily since 1965, and the seasonal pattern of growth follows closely the changes in temperature, which may have a direct effect on growth and an indirect effect via the food supply.
Journal ArticleDOI
The bottom fauna of a flatfish nursery ground
A. D. McIntyre,A. Eleftheriou +1 more
TL;DR: In this article, the macrofauna, defined as infauna retained on a ½ mm sieve, was investigated on a flatfish nursery ground at less than 10 m depth in a Scottish west coast sea loch during spring and late summer of 1965.
Related Papers (5)
Composition, distribution, abundance and biomass of the macrofauna and meiofauna of four sandy beaches
The relative significance of bacteria, meio- and macrofauna on an exposed sandy beach
K. Koop,Charles L. Griffiths +1 more