Diurnal vertical migrations of meiofauna in an estuarine sand flat

Abstract

Diurnal vertical migrations of meiofauna were observed in an estuarine sand flat and these were related primarily to desiccation and temperature. The migrations, which occurred in the top 10 cm of the sediment, had a mean range of 5 cm and were most strongly exhibited by the interstitial flatworms, polychaetes and oligochaetes, followed by the nematodes and harpacticoid copepods. It is concluded that vertical migrations are restricted to areas experiencing some degree of desiccation and would not be significant in waterlogged areas such as mud flats.