The Marine Algae of Elie, Scotland: a Re-assessment

No change has been fond between the survey of Traill in 1888 and the present work in the species richness of marine algae at Elie on the north coast of the Firth of Forth in Scotland. This is compared to Joppa and Dunbar on the south coast of the Firth of Forth where, in the case of the former, a great species reduction has occurred since Traill's time, while it has not occurred at Dunbar. The changes are in accord with the likely distribution of pollutants in the Forth. Comparison of changes in detailed species recordings and in numerical species richness is made in relation to pollution monitoring schemes. It is suggested that those pollution monitoring schemes which rely solely on quant i tative distributional data of common species are inadequate and that some estimate of species richness should be included in such schemes.