The biomass of the benthic macrofauna of the tidal flats of the Banc d'Arguin, Mauritania, retained by a sieve of 0 .6 mm, has been estimated . The total biomass amounts to about 17 .0 g ash-free dry weight (AFDW) m -2 in the area sampled (about 300 km 2 ). The large bivalve Anadara senilis is responsible for 8.1 g AFDW m -2, over 100 other species for another 8 .9 g m -2 . The largest biomasses are found near the continental shore ; at the offshore tidal flats benthic filter-feeders are lacking . Seagrass beds, which occupy the larger part of the tidal flats, have an under average biomass . Sebkhas, extremely saline flats above mean high-water mark, contain no live animals . To sustain the consumption of benthic prey by the very abundant wintering shorebirds relatively low P/B ratios are sufficient .
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