Palaeoecological studies on shell-beds and associated sediments in the Solway Firth

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Abstract
Synopsis: The sediments, living fauna, dead shells and valves of the Solway Firth tidal flats at the mouth of the River Nith were sampled along transects. The sediments, which range from inshore silts to fine sands at the mouth of the Nith, are largely derived from the Irish Sea. The inshore living fauna includes Cardium edule, Macoma balthica (the dominant species), Scrobicularia plana and Mya arenaria. Tellina tenuis is restricted to the fine sands. Cardium, Macoma, Mya and Mytilus edulis valves are common in the inshore flats. Cardium valves are widespread. Shell fragments produced by predation and not by mechanical breakage are common. The living fauna, shells and valves are reworked and concentrated into channel-floor shell-beds by laterally migrating ebb channels. Surface shell-beds are formed by tidal currents reworking surface sediments. The detailed differences between these two types of shell-bed are used to show that a buried shell-bed formed on a channel floor. The dominant living species suggested by the shell-bed compositions would be C. edule. The presence of T. tenuis would not be detected.