Community structure of intertidal meiofauna along a gradient of morphodynamic states on an exposed North Sea beach

An exposed sandy beach located at Sylt was studied to analyse the patterns in the number of major taxa, abundance, biomass, and zonation of meiofauna. Three sites with different morphodynamic states were sampled. The results of a canonical correspondence analysis showed that water content, porosity and grain size were the best predictor variables of meiofaunal density. The highest meiofaunal densities and biomass occurred at the mid-shore levels of each site: up to 9592 individuals 10 cm(-2) and 7.5 g m(-2) (ash-free dry weight) at the reflective site, 11,640 individuals 10 cm(-2) and 9.4 g m(-2) at the low intermediate site, and 2993 individuals 10 cm(-2) and 1.5 g m(-2) at the mid-intermediate site. The total abundance and biomass of the meiofauna per running metre of beach were higher at the low intermediate site (141 x 10(6) individuals m(-1) and 98 g m(-1)), compared with the reflective site (74 x 10(6) individuals m(-1) and 55 g m(-1)) and the mid-intermediate site (69 x 10(6) individuals m(-1) and 33 g m(-1)). The number of major taxa was nine, ten, and eight at the reflective, low intermediate and mid-intermediate sites, respectively. The across-shore variability in densities and community assemblage structure of the meiofauna decreased through the dissipative state.