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Historical changes in the benthos of the Wadden Sea around the island of Sylt in the North Sea

Helgoländer Meeresuntersuchungen volume 43, pages 417–433 (1989)Cite this article

Abstract

The situation regarding the distribution and abundance of seagrass, macroalgae and benthic fauna near the island of Sylt in the south-eastern North Sea during the period 1923 to 1940 is compared with that of the 1980s. Evidence of organic enrichment in recent times is provided by (1) massive growth of green algal mats on sheltered tidal flats, (2) a decline of red algae in the subtidal zone, (3) an expansion of mussel beds along low water line and down to 20 m depth, (4) increased abundance of polychaetes inhabiting intertidal and subtidal sandy bottoms. Seagrass beds have undergone complex changes which remain unexplained. Intensified erosion has contributed to the loss of habitats in the intertidal zone, and probably affected sessile epifauna in the deep channels. Here, direct removal and disturbance by the bottom-trawling fishery may also have contributed to the observed species impoverishment.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Biologische Anstalt Helgoland, Wadden Sea Institute Sylt, D-2282, List, FRG

    Karsten Reise, Elisabeth Herre & Manfred Sturm

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  1. Karsten Reise
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  2. Elisabeth Herre
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  3. Manfred Sturm
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Reise, K., Herre, E. & Sturm, M. Historical changes in the benthos of the Wadden Sea around the island of Sylt in the North Sea. Helgolander Meeresunters 43, 417–433 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02365901

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Helgoland Marine Research

ISSN: 1438-3888

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