Influence of epibenthos on meiobenthos of the Ceriops tagal mangrove sediment at Gazi Bay, Kenya

Abstract

A cage experiment was used to exclude the epibenthos to study interactions with the meiobenthos (in terms of predation, food competition and food enhancement. Findings indicate that the meiofauna community of the C. tagal mangrove sediment (consisting of about 95% nematodes and oligochaetes) is part of a rather isolated, detrital food web with only minor predator-prey interactions with the epibenthos. -from Authors