Stranded kelp : its fauna and influence on sandy beach energetics.

This thesis presents results of studies conducted on banks of kelp stranded on a sandy beach at Kommetjie on the west coast of the Cape Peninsula. The physical and chemical character of the beach are related to variations in the standing stocks and productivity of macro-, meio-fauna and bacteria as determined from a quantitative survey conducted on a monthly basis throughout 1981. Tracer experiments were carried out to establish the partitioning of dissolved organic matter between the different faunal elements (namely bacteria and meiofaunal present in the sand below decomposing kelp. Finally, a description of the flow of energy through the wrack bed ecosystem is given.

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

Department of Biological Sciences

Year dc:date.issued

1983

Author dc:creator

• Stenton-Dozey, Jeanette Mary Edgeworth

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Griffiths, Charles L

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/11427/7610

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/7610