Means of meiofauna dispersal

• Main Author: Gerlach, Sebastian A.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Akademie der Wissenschaften und der Literatur, Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftliche Klasse 1977
• Subjects: Sea ice
• Online Access: https://oceanrep.geomar.de/id/eprint/59380/; https://oceanrep.geomar.de/id/eprint/59380/1/Gerlach.pdf

Meiofauna dispersal is possible by waterfowl, by floating substrates including sea ice, and by turbulent water, either in suspension or adhering to sediment particles. During severe storms sea water turbulence erodes sediments not only in shallow water, but also in the sublittoral region. In the past centuries meiofauna had a chance of dispersal in sand that served as ballast for sailing vessels. Direct evidence for mciofauna dispersal is scarce. In an appendix to the paper several authors report on meiofauna found on drifting coconuts and in plankton samples, and on other observations bearing on meiofauna dispersal.