A Quantitative Study of the Fauna of the Sandy Beach at Port Erin

Erosion of Dawlish Warren, at the mouth of the Exe Estuary has resulted in a redistribution of sand, which has come to lie in close proximity to certain of the original mud banks.Quantitative collections of the macrofauna were made along a traverse passing from the newly deposited sand to the old mud bank, stations all being at about half-tide level.Measurements of salinity, temperature, pH, currents and wave action show that these are similar for all stations. Thus it has been possible to observe the distribution of the fauna in relation to the type of soil without the usual complications due to differences in other factors.

Section: Nerine Cirratulus (Della Chiaje)mentioning

confidence: 85%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Fauna of Sand and Mud Banks Near the Mouth of the Exe Estuary

Holme

1949

“…No interstitial salinities were recorded from beneath sea water, and it seems probable that Bruce was working in an area of surface drainage of fresh water. Pirrie, Bruce & Moore (1932) did not attach much importance to lowered interstitial 3-2 36 RALPH I. SMITH salinity at Port Erin, for they conclude that' rio very close correlation must be looked for between the distribution of the fauna and the salinity of the beach'. Emery & Foster (1948) have shown that the salt-water table in the sands.of exposed Californianbeaches rises and fallswith the tides, but lagging by 1-3 h and with decreasing amplitude as the land is approached.…”

Section: General Description Of the Beachmentioning

confidence: 96%

Salinity variation in interstitial water of sand at Kames Bay, Millport, with reference to the distribution of Nereis diversicolor

Smith

1955

The sheltered beach of Kames Bay, Millport, Isle of Cumbrae, Scotland has been the scene of several important studies on intertidal zonation (Stephen, 1929; Elmhirst, 19315 Watkin, 1942). The last paper is most comprehensive and records in detail the zonation of over twenty species of animals. In the course of the present study I have found Watkin's account very accurate, but incomplete in respect to salinity variation in the interstitial water of the sands. My attention was initially directed to Kames Bay in a search for a population of Nereis diversicolor O. F. Muller inhabitating an essentially 'marine' environment in respect to salinity. The suitability of Kames Bay was suggested by a statement of Watkin (1942, p. 558): The salinity of the tidal water may be expected to agree with that of the waters of the Firth and to show little or no variation from high to low water, and to be about 32 parts per thousand... .The extent of the freshwater influence in Kames Bay is very slight. A small stream crosses the beach on its western edge, but the line of sampling is some distance from it. And on p. 544: the volume of water of this stream is small and the effect over the whole bay cannot be considered as seriously affecting the type of fauna.

“…In both places it occurs abundantly from between low-water of neap and spring tides, downwards, and can be dredged in numbers close to the shore in depths of two to four metres. The general condition of the Port Erin sandy beach has been described by Pirrie, Bruce and Moore (1932) and by Moore (1933). Sea surface temperatures at Port Erin (being the mean monthly temperatures for the years are shown in Text Fig.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

The Biology of Echinocardium cordatum

Moore

1936

1. Monthly samples of Echinocardium cordatum were taken at Port Erin in 1932,1933 and 1934, and at intervals at Fairlie Sands in the Clyde.2. Growth is continuous throughout the year with the exception of February-March. In their first winter the young urchins attain a length of about 10 mm. at Millport and 15–20 mm. at Port Erin. In their second winter they are about 20 mm. at Millport, and 30–35 mm. at Port Erin.4. The year 1931 was cold and produced a very small brood of young urchins; 1932 and 1933 were warm years and produced very large broods.5. The young settle below low water and migrate into the interval zone after an interval of four to twelve months.6. The gonads of the young urchins mature in their second year. Spawning takes place in June–July–August.7. The nutritive bodies in the ovaries are shown to be derived from the disintegration of relict ova.