| A survey of the age structure of beach populations of Nephtys species in the British Isles. The basis of population fluctuations. An earlier investigation on Nephtys populations in an estuarine beach has been extended to include other beaches. It has been become apparent that periodic reproductive failure is a common phenomenon, and this explains why many populations are dominated by large, apparently old individuals which have numerous growth lines in the jaws. Reproductive failures are often the result of a failure to spawn, but may also be due to lack of recruitment. |
