Abstract
UNDER the above title, Erik Ursin1 reports certain differences between the bottom fauna found by him during 1950–51, and its composition as reported by F. M. Davis2 during 1921–23. I am able to confirm most of these differences, because part of my work took me to the same area, and at the same time, as Ursin. But I think that caution is needed in assuming that the differences are due to real changes in the bottom fauna. It will be remembered that Davis thought that the spatfalls of molluscs are likely to be local and uncertain, and his ‘soil-current’ theory is an enunciation of this belief. The substitution of Ensis ensis and Tellina fabula, during 1950–51, for Spisula subtruncata and Mactra corallina as the dominant lamellibranchs, lends support to Davis's theory. But Davis worked with a Petersen grab, and Ursin and I are both using van Veens, and since the latter is probably more efficient at digging in sand than the former3, it is likely that these differences in fauna are at least partly the results of changed gear. There is much need for a thorough comparison of the two instruments.
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References
Ursin, Erik, Nature, 170, 324 (1952).
Davis, F. M., Min. Agric. Fish., Fishery Invest., Ser. 2, 6, No. 2 (1923).
Thamdrup, H. M., J. du Conseil, 13, 206 (1938).
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BIRKETT, L. Change in the Composition of the Bottom Fauna of the Dogger Bank Area. Nature 171, 265 (1953). https://doi.org/10.1038/171265a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/171265a0
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