Production and energy flow in the macrobenthos of two sandy beaches in South West India

Abstract

SynopsisEstimates of the rates of secondary production by the individual macrofaunal invertebrates of two Indian beaches are presented and these are combined to give an estimate of the energy flow through the macrobenthos of the two beaches. The production by individual species and by the macrofauna as a whole is compared with that of other tropical, and of temperate beaches, and it is concluded that a similar biomass in the tropical beaches produces a rate of turnover of biomass some ten times that of the temperate beaches. Values of production to biomass ratios (P/B) and of elimination to biomass ratios (E/B) for the invertebrates of sandy substrata in various geographical areas are reviewed and the use of these ratios in comparisons of productivity, and their relationship to mortality and longevity are discussed.