Ecosystem Analysis - Sand flats

Sand flats

Sand flats occupy the major part of the intertidal area of the Sylt-Rømø Bay. They occur in a wide spectrum of hydrodynamic activity from sheltered sand flats rich in organic substances to exposed sands and sand bares where the surface layer of sediment is shifted to a considerable depth. 
The biological community of a sand flat varies due to the exposure to currents and waves. From sheltered to exposed sites the community characteristics are shifting from a macrofauna dominated community to a microfauna dominated one. The lugworm Arenicola marina and the cockle Cerastoderma edule dominate the macrofauna species in sandy intertidal areas. Arenicola marina promotes release processes like nutrient  and particle release by bioturbation, whereas C. edule counteracts the latter process by filtration of particles. Therefore sandflats act as a weak sink for particles and a source for soluble nutrients.