Physical and biological factors structuring sandy beaches macrofauna communities

Previous sandy beach research described beach macrofaunal communities according to the swash exclusion hypothesis (SEH). This hypothesis stated that more species are present on fine grained, flat dissipative beaches due to a more benign swash climate. It suggested that, as beach morphodynamics change to reflective conditions, which is experienced on coarse, steep beaches, few species can survive; these beaches are therefore characterised by lower macrofaunal diversities, abundance and biomass. Furthermore, little proof has been obtained of biological interactions such as competition or predation, and beaches have been described as physically controlled environments. The aim of this investigation was therefore to redifine the SEH in more specific terms, preferably into a form that is experimentally testable, and to find evidence of biological interactions that could be important enough to modify/explain population or community structures. Furthermore, the study aimed to find experimental procedures to serve as alternatives to the previously correlative type approach.

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

Department of Biological Sciences

Year dc:date.issued

2000

Author dc:creator

• Nel, Petronella

Advisors dc:contributor.advisor

• Brown, Alec C
• Griffiths, Charles L
• McLachlan, Anton

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/11427/6146

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/6146