The abundance and biomass of Corophium multisetosum Stock, 1952 were determined from benthic corer samples collected monthly over 1 yr in the upper reaches of Canal de Mira (Ria de Aveiro, Portugal). Both density and biomass over the sampling period were negatively correlated with water temperature and positively correlated with chlorophyll a concentration in the sediment. C. multisetosum density was signi®cantly negatively correlated with plant biomass and positively correlated with salinity. The nature of the sediment, favourable environmental conditions, high availability of food and low interspeci®c competition allowed the population to reach a maximal density of 200´10 3 individuals m )2 and a maximal biomass (ash-free dry wt, AFDW) of 62 g AFDW m )2 . The population was highly productive, especially during the autumn/winter period. Production, estimated by two dierent methods (Hynes method: 251 g AFDW m )2 yr )1