A taxonomic survey of Benthic fauna in estuarine salt marsh pools, Minas Basin, Nova Scotia

In a two-year study, 1975-1977, ten pools, situated in the estuarine salt marshes of Minas Basin, were the subjects of a faunal survey. Eleven phyla, comprising 64 taxa, were identified. Twenty-five new records for the pools included representatives from Homalorphagae, Archiannelida, Nudibranchia, Phyllodocidae and Spionidae. In abundance, nematodes outranked other taxa by 54%. Evidence pointed to faunal variation between areas flooded frequently and those flooded only by high spring tides; and between areas influenced by urban sewage and those that are not. Generally, both diversity and density showed a decline during winter and early spring.