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The Feeding and Survival Strategies of Estuarine Molluscs

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Feeding and Survival Srategies of Estuarine Organisms

Part of the book series: Marine Science ((MR,volume 15))

Abstract

The fauna of estuaries is characterised by having relatively few species, the number decreasing within the estuary from both the seaward and river end to reach a minimum of species at a salinity of c. 5%, whilst at the same time these few species may be extremely abundant. The abundance of estuarine animals leads to the recognition of estuaries as one of the most productive natural habitats (McLusky, 1971; in press). The high productivity of estuaries is based on their ability to retain detritus material derived from the sea, rivers or salt marshes. Feeding on this detritus are three main taxa of animals, the annelids, the crustaceans and the molluscs. The present review is concerned with the latter phylum, the molluscs, two groups of which, the gastropods and the bivalves, form a most conspicuous part of the estuarine macrofauna. As with other members of the estuarine fauna there may be relatively few species of molluscs in estuaries, but these species may be very abundant indeed.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biology, University of Stirling, Stirling, FK9 4LA, Scotland

    D. S. McLusky

  2. Forth River Purification Board, Estuary Laboratories, Port Edgar, South Queensferry, Edinburgh, UK

    M. Elliott

Authors
  1. D. S. McLusky
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  2. M. Elliott
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of Hull, Hull, UK

    N. V. Jones

  2. Rijksinstituut voor Natuurbeheer, Den Burg-Texel, The Netherlands

    W. J. Wolff

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© 1981 Plenum Press, New York

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McLusky, D.S., Elliott, M. (1981). The Feeding and Survival Strategies of Estuarine Molluscs. In: Jones, N.V., Wolff, W.J. (eds) Feeding and Survival Srategies of Estuarine Organisms. Marine Science, vol 15. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4613-3318-0_9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4613-3318-0_9

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4613-3320-3

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4613-3318-0

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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