An estimation of the effects of Ensis directus on the transport and burial of silt in the near-shore Dutch coastal zone of the North Sea

This paper describes the distribution of the razor clam Ensis directus in the Dutch coastal zone with emphasis on its relation to sediment grainsize, in particular silt. The study includes a spatial survey along the coast of North Holland (Netherlands) and an in-situ experiment for the burial of silt. Densities of E. directus appeared highest close to the coast in the siltiest sediment, where also the highest body mass index values (BMI) were...