Studies on the Psammolittoral Meiofauna of Algoa Bay, South Africa

Abstract

As a precursor to a study of the psammolittoral meiofauna of Algoa Bay, the important physical and chemical features of the beaches have been quantified. A sheltered and an exposed beach were selected. It has been found that the sheltered beach has a finer substrate, greater porosity and more chlorophyll a than the exposed beach. However, owing to the smaller sizes of the interstices, the sands of the sheltered beach have a slower drainage, a lower oxygen availibility in the interstitial water and shallower water tables than the sands of the exposed beach.