The River Neet and the smaller channel coming from Maer Lake, along with multiple small incoming freshwater sources along the 12-mile section not only give additional habitat they also create changes in salinity where they cross the beach. This has a significant effect on the organisms that can live there. Mullet swim into the rivers, as detritus feeders they are happy in the sediment found there. Other small juvenile fish will hide from predators on the incoming tide in the lower reaches of the Neet, here the gulls and occasional cormorant, egret and kingfisher or heron hunt for them. Some sea fish use estuary sections as spawning grounds and it will be interesting to see if we can find these, especially sea bass. Eels will use the rivers as routes inland and otters might (particularly at night) hunt here. An additional bonus for the beach community is debris being washed downstream, this provides sticks for nest building, deadwood and plant remains for a thriving sand hopper community and snails, terrestrial worms and other organisms for the opportunist birds such as rocks and jackdaws.
The changing salinity as the tide ebbs and heavy rain conditions favour reduced salinity seaweeds such as egg wrack, channel and estuary wrack and in particular the green algae. Many of the species in this zone are difficult to identify due to the small size and the need for a microscope but may include bangia, ulva, monostroma and prasiola. A vast community of cyanobacteria will be present especially where water is constantly running across a wall or seeping through rocks look for stains and feel the silky smooth texture. Black tar lichen will be dominant on the fixed stone surfaces, it differs from the mastocarpus (Grape pip weed) black smears lower down the beach as it is matt black and finely textured, not smooth and glossy.
The river channel itself is frequently scoured by flash floods or storms, it is also dominated by loose pebbles so few algae can establish. Between the stones and in the muddy substrate below live multiple worm species, bivalves and other specialists. It will be fascinating to kick sample this river bed and sieve the sediment. The worms though are very difficult to identify as they often require detailed examination of mouth parts and this on living specimens is impossible.
Where the incoming river slows (meanders), fragments of a salt marsh community exist. This is anaerobic mud due to the fine particle size, very little oxygen is available below the first few inches. Here the worm species will dominate as many have haemoglobin adaptations to low oxygen existence or burrow and maintain a supply of air. They, in turn, will feed curlews and waders. These pockets of habitat are very small but they do contain salt marsh community plants for us to survey.
The changing salinity as the tide ebbs and heavy rain conditions favour reduced salinity seaweeds such as egg wrack, channel and estuary wrack and in particular the green algae. Many of the species in this zone are difficult to identify due to the small size and the need for a microscope but may include bangia, ulva, monostroma and prasiola. A vast community of cyanobacteria will be present especially where water is constantly running across a wall or seeping through rocks look for stains and feel the silky smooth texture. Black tar lichen will be dominant on the fixed stone surfaces, it differs from the mastocarpus (Grape pip weed) black smears lower down the beach as it is matt black and finely textured, not smooth and glossy.
The river channel itself is frequently scoured by flash floods or storms, it is also dominated by loose pebbles so few algae can establish. Between the stones and in the muddy substrate below live multiple worm species, bivalves and other specialists. It will be fascinating to kick sample this river bed and sieve the sediment. The worms though are very difficult to identify as they often require detailed examination of mouth parts and this on living specimens is impossible.
Where the incoming river slows (meanders), fragments of a salt marsh community exist. This is anaerobic mud due to the fine particle size, very little oxygen is available below the first few inches. Here the worm species will dominate as many have haemoglobin adaptations to low oxygen existence or burrow and maintain a supply of air. They, in turn, will feed curlews and waders. These pockets of habitat are very small but they do contain salt marsh community plants for us to survey.