The segment of gulf shoreline from Destin East Pass to St. Andrew Bay 

 is unusual because it lacks the coastal barrier islands typical of Florida 

 coastal geography (Bruun, Gerritsen, and Morgan, 1958). Kwon (1969) de- 

 scribes the physiography of the area as an erosional feature of the gulf 

 coast. Prevailing winds in the area are from the southeast to south, 

 generating an east-to-west longshore current. Balsillie (1975) summarized 

 estimates of longshore transport for the beaches of the Florida panhandle. 

 In the vicinity of St. Andrews Park the net longshore transport rates are 

 estimated to range from 56,577 to 173,554 cubic meters per year. 



3. Study Objectives . 



This study provides information on the ecological relationship of the 

 henthic fauna inhabiting natural beaches and offshore borrow areas. In- 

 faunal community structure and surface sediment characteristics were 

 examined following a beach nourishment program on the Panama City and 

 nearby beaches. The data collected were compared with prenourishment 

 base-line data to determine long-term effects of beach nourishment on 

 benthic infauna. Specific objectives of the study were to 



(a) quantitatively sample the benthic macroinfauna at 49 near- 

 shore stations, including two borrow sites; 



(b) identify the organisms collected to the lowest practical 

 taxonomic unit; 



(c) define the distribution, density, diversity, and other 

 community parameters of the nearshore benthic infauna; 



(d) collect surface sediment samples at each station and 

 evaluate the granulometric composition as well as the organic 

 carbonate content; 



(e) sample during winter and summer months to determine sea- 

 sonal variations; and 



(f) compare the data collected with Saloman's (1976) data 

 and evaluate the results in terms of beach nourishment effects. 



4. Station Locations . 



A total of 49 stations were sampled during this study. Forty-seven 

 stations, located on nine transects in the Gulf of Mexico between West Pass 

 and Philips Inlet, are the same as those sampled by Saloman (1976). The 

 transects were positioned perpendicular to shore and each contained five 

 stations (Fig. 1): station 1 in the swash zone; station 2 on the first 

 sandbar; station 3 between the first and second sandbar; station 4 on the 

 second sandbar; and station 5 seaward of the second sandbar in 3 to 4 

 meters of water. Stations CA and CB (control sites) were located in 9 to 10 

 meters of water off transects 5 and 8. 



Locations of the nine transects along Panama City Beach are as follows: 

 transect 1 is 274.3 meters west of the jetty at the entrance of St. Andrew 



