Meiofauna
From Coastal Wiki
Definition of Meiofauna:
Meiofauna are small animals living on or within aquatic sediments that are operationally defined by their size: they pass through a 0.5–1 mm sieve but are retained on a finer sieve, commonly 32–63 µm. Typical groups include nematodes, harpacticoid copepods, gastrotrichs, tardigrades and small ostracods.
This is the common definition for Meiofauna, other definitions can be discussed in the article
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Notes[1]
- Meiofauna constitute an important food source for small bottom-feeding animals and juvenile fish.
- Meiofauna play an important role as a trophic link between bacteria and larger fauna.
- Their high abundance and generally short life cycles enable populations to recover rapidly from predation.
- Meiofaunal communities are often used in assessments of environmental condition.
Related articles
References
- ↑ Coull, B.C. 1999. Role of meiofauna in estuarine soft-bottom habitats. Australian Journal of Ecology 24: 327–343
