The predictability of biological populations and communities: an example from the meiobenthos
Herman, P.M.J.; Heip, C.H.R. (1986). The predictability of biological populations and communities: an example from the meiobenthos, in: Heip, C.H.R. et al. (1987). Long-term changes in coastal benthic communities: Proceedings of a symposium, held in Brussels, Belgium, December 9-12, 1985. Developments in Hydrobiology, 38: pp. 281-290. https://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-4049-9_24 In: Heip, C.H.R.; Keegan, B.F.; Lewis, J.R. (1987). Long-term changes in coastal benthic communities: Proceedings of a symposium, held in Brussels, Belgium, December 9-12, 1985. Developments in Hydrobiology, 38. W. Junk Publishers: Dordrecht/Boston/Lancaster. ISBN 978-90-6193-637-4; e-ISBN 978-94-009-4049-9. XV1, 340 pp. https://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-4049-9, more In: Dumont, H.J. (Ed.) Developments in Hydrobiology. Kluwer Academic/Springer: The Hague; London; Boston; Dordrecht. ISSN 0167-8418, more |
| Available in | Authors | | Document type: Conference paper
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| Keywords | Aquatic communities > Benthos > Meiobenthos
Monitoring
Prediction
Time series
Copepoda [WoRMS]
Marine/Coastal |
| Abstract | The predictability of temporal changes was analysed in the population density of three meiobenthic copepod species, and for three parameters characterizing this community. For Paranychocamptus nanus and Tachidius discipes a large part of the variation in time scales longer than 1 year is explainable as cyclic factors. In P. nanus clear cycles with periods of 2 years and 1.5 years were found. These cyclic factors can be extrapolated for prediction. In Canuella perplexa almost all the variation was due to unpredictable long-term drift. Community parameters are generally better predicted than population densities. In our data set total density of the copepods was the best parameter to monitor. Monitoring does not necessitate a strict sampling scheme; irregular quarterly sampling from the P. nanus series showed that the essential features of the series were still discernible. |
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