Document of bibliographic reference 345144

BibliographicReference record

Type

Bibliographic resource

Type of document

Journal article

BibLvlCode

AS

Title

Intraspecific abundance–occupancy–patchiness relations in the intertidal benthic macrofauna of a cool-temperate North Sea mudflat

Abstract

The macroecological variable of patchiness (Lloyd’s I_p index of patchiness, P) has recently been shown to be related inter- and intraspecifically to those of abundance (numbers m⁻², A), and occupancy (% occurrence in samples, O) in lower latitude seagrass macrofaunas. For the first time in higher latitudes, intraspecific relationships between three spatial variables were investigated in the intertidal mudflat macrobenthos of the Scolt Head barrier island, southern North Sea (53° N, 01° E). Sampling was conducted between early July and late September 2009–2013 using 710-µm mesh for sample processing. Strong positive interspecific A-O and negative interspecific P-O and P-A relationships were present. Two of the most numerous and widespread assemblage components, however, occurred with effectively constant occupancy (Peringia ulvae, 100%, and Tubificoides benedii, 93%) across the whole 20-ha locality and therefore could not show intraspecific relationships of occupancy with other macroecological metrics. These two apart, only one other dominant species failed to show a significant positive intraspecific A-O relationship; no species showed significant P-A relations of any form; and only two showed the negative P-O ones that have been described elsewhere. The intraspecific A-O patterns appear to contrast with those of an earlier study at another North Sea locality (the Dutch Wadden Sea), although differences are more apparent than real, but the Scolt Head fauna showed fewer intraspecific P-O and P-A relations than those characterising similar circumstances in the two lower-latitude localities previously investigated. Neither developmental mode nor variation in local abundance appears to influence these patterns. A-O-P relations therefore seem widespread but may be subject to latitudinal modification.

WebOfScience code

https://www.webofscience.com/wos/woscc/full-record/WOS:000695383500001

Bibliographic citation

Barnes, R.S.K. (2022). Intraspecific abundance–occupancy–patchiness relations in the intertidal benthic macrofauna of a cool-temperate North Sea mudflat. Est. Coast. 45: 827-838. https://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s12237-021-00998-z

Topic

Marine

Is peer reviewed

true

Access rights

open access

Is accessible for free

true