CONTENTS 

 CHAPTER 1. THE PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT 



1.1 DEFINITION OF AN INTERTIDAL FLAT 1 



1.2 SEDIMENTARY ENVIRONMENT 1 



1.3 CHEMICAL ENVIRONMENT 6 



1.4 THEESTUARY AS A NUTRIENT TRAP 9 



CHAPTER 2. THE FLORA OF INTERTIDAL FLATS 



2.1 MICROFLORA 11 



2.2 MACROPHYTES 11 



2.3 BACTERL\ AND FUNGI 1 1 



2.4 PHYTOPLANKTON 13 



2.5 MEASUREMENTS OF PRIMARY PRODUCTIVITY 13 



2.6 FOOD CHAINS OF INTERTIDAL FLATS 16 



CHAPTER 3. THE BENTHJC INVERTEBRATES 



3.1 BENTHIC EPIFAUNA 19 



3.2 BENTHIC INFAUNA 20 



3.3 CONTROLS ON INFAUNAL POPULATIONS 23 



3.4 THE MOBILE EPIBENTHOS 26 



CHAPTER 4. THE FISHES 



4.1 TROPHIC ROLES 31 



4.2 PLANKTIVORES AND DETRITFVORES 31 



4.3 PREDATORS ON BENTHIC FAUNA, MOBILE EPIBENTHIC 



INVERTEBRATES, AND FISHES 43 



4.4 NON-RESIDENT FISHES INDIRECTLY DEPENDENT UPON INTER- 

 TIDAL FLATS 45 



4.5 ESTUARIES AS NURSERY GROUNDS FOR FISHES 46 



4.6 SEASONAL CHANGES IN THE FISH FAUNA OF INTERTIDAL FLATS 46 



CHAPTER 5. THE BIRDS 



5.1 THE VARIETY OF AVIAN ROLES ON INTERTIDAL FLATS 49 



5.2 WADERS 49 



5.3 SHALLOW-PROBING AND SURFACE-SEARCHING SHOREBIRDS 53 



5.4 DEEP-PROBING SHOREBIRDS 55 



5.5 AERIAL SEARCHING BIRDS 56 



5.6 FLOATING AND DFVING WATER BIRDS 57 



5.7 BIRDS OF PREY 5g 



5.8 GENERAL COMMENTS 58 



CHAPTER 6. PRACTICAL PROBLEMS IN MANAGING INTERTIDAL FLATS 



6.1 RECOVERY OF INTERTIDAL FLATS FOLLOWING PERTURBATION 59 



6.2 THE SIGNIFICANCE OF AN INTERTIDAL FLAT 61 



6.3 THE ROLES OF INTERTIDAL FLATS IN ESTUARINE SYSTEMS 62 



REFERENCES CITED 65 



