Distribution, Abundance and Life Cycles of Oligochaeta from the Marine Hygropsammal with Special Reference to the Phallodrilinae (Tubificidae)

✍ Scribed by Dr. Olaf Pfannkuche

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1980
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 750 KB
• Volume: 65
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 1434-2944
• DOI: 10.1002/iroh.19800650607

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

Tubificid and enchytraeid oligochaetes are common members of the interstitial fauna of sandy beaches. Their abundance dynamics, life cycles and distribution patterns were investigated at two beaches on the western Baltic Sea and at a North Sea beach (Isle of Sylt). Populations of 115,000 ind./m^2^ were found at protected Baltic beaches. Reproduction of the tubificids, Phallodrilus monospermathecus and Spiridion insigne takes place within a well defined breeding period once a year. The market horizontal and vertical distribution patterns of various tubificid and enchytraeid species are elucidated by preference reactions to several physiographic parameters, such as oxygen and water content of the sediment, and salinity.