Migrations of sandy beach meiofauna

Abstract

The meiofauna at higher tide levels on a sheltered beach has been found to undergo vertical migrations correlated with the alternate drying and wetting of the sand during the tidal cycle. This movement may be modified by temperature differences between summer and winter and day and night. No major horizontal up/downshore movement of the meiofauna has been found during the tidal cycle and it appears that rain also has little effect on the meiofauna.