Greater flamingos Phoenicopterus ruber were excluded from intertidal areas of one lagoon and intertidal and subtidal areas of another, both on the Namibian coast.Macrofaunal numbers increased at cill exclusion sites, reaching approxlmately 3 times the density of contlc:l plots subtidally, and 1.5 tlnles the control density intertldally.Only 1 species, the polychaete Diopatra neapolitana, decreased in abundance inside cages.Both Intertidal sltes were polychaete dornlnated; subtidally, ampeliscid amphipods dominated dnd formed dense tube-mats that covered the substrate.Despite differences in macrofaunal abundance between treatments, diversity indices , sllnilar Overall, P. ruber have a major effect on macrofauna at these lagoons.In their absence, physlcal factors may play an important role.
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
Glassom et al. (1997) studied this question.