Exposure to wave action: some consequences for the sea urchin Stomopneustes variolaris on the Natal coast

Abstract

Population size structure in the intertidal echinoid, Stomopneustes variolaris, has been observed to vary between habitats, in a manner which suggests the influence of factors in addition to variation in recruitment success. This paper reports on an investigation into the hypothesis that exposure to wave action might be a factor accounting for the variation in population size structure between habitats at Sheffield Beach. -Author