长江口湿地三个演替阶段大型底栖动物群落特征

2001—2005年对长江口新生沙洲九段沙(上沙、中沙、下沙)盐沼演替序列不同阶段［盐渍藻类阶段(SA)、海三棱biao草(Scirpus mariqueter)—biao草(Scirpus triqueter)阶段(MT)、芦苇(Phragmites australis)—互花米草(Spartina alterniflora)阶段(AA)］的大型底栖动物群落特征进行了分析研究。大型底栖动物群落的物种数、Shannon-Wiener多样性指数、Pielou均匀度指数、密度及生物量都是MT>AA>SA。SA、AA优势种的生活型分别是底内型、穴居型；MT优势种的生活型是底上附着型和穴居型。不同沙洲相同盐沼演替阶段大型底栖动物群落结构都较为相似，盐渍藻类阶段的相似性最高；不同演替阶段间差别明显，SA和AA间差别最大。不同盐沼演替阶段大型底栖动物群落特征的明显差异，既反映了环境沿盐沼演替序列的梯度变化，也体现了不同盐沼对底栖动物群落作用的差别，同时也显示了大型底栖动物对不同盐沼演替阶段生境的适应。     

不同红树植物群落中大型底栖动物群落的比较

2005—2006年对广东湛江红树林国家级自然保护区湿地三种红树植物群落(白骨壤 桐化树群落、桐花树群落、木榄 桐花树群落)的大型底栖动物群落特征进行了分析研究。白骨壤 桐化树群落大型底栖动物群落的物种数、栖息密度、生物量、丰富度指数和多样性指数均最高,优势度指数居中,均匀度指数略低于桐花树群落;桐花树群落大型底栖动物物种数急剧减少,尤其是底内型、底上附着型和穴居型种类减少明显,生物量和栖息密度下降到最低,由于个体数种间分配较为均匀而导致优势度指数下降而均匀度指数增高,虽丰富度指数略低于白骨壤 桐化树群落,但多样性指数接近于白骨壤 桐化群落;木榄 桐花树群落,大型底栖动物群落的物种数,尤其是穴居型和底内型种数继续减少,但生物量和栖息密度有所上升,个体数种间分配不均匀而使优势度指数增高而均匀度下降,加上丰富度指数最低,故多样性指数最小。白骨壤 桐化树群落优势种的生活型是底内型和穴居型;桐花树和木榄 桐花树群落优势种的生活型均是穴居型。三种红树植物群落中的大型底栖动物群落的GS/GSB分别为0.48、0.63、0.80。相同红树植物群落大型底栖动物群落结构都较为相似,木榄 桐花树群落的相似性最高,而不同红树植物群落大型底栖动物群落特征的差异明显,反映了不同红树群落对底栖动物群落作用的差别,同时也展示了各种大型底栖动物对不同红树群落生境的适应情况。     

盐沼植物对大型底栖动物群落的影响

2005年5月下旬在崇明东滩中潮区相同高程上的裸地(ld)、海三棱藨草(Scirpus×mariqueter)地(hs)、芦苇(Phragmites australis)地(lw)、互花米草(Spartinaalterniflora)地(hh)里取样研究了大型底栖动物群落。ld物种数、总个体数、Shannon-Wiener指数、Margalef物种丰富度指数、平均密度和平均生物量都是最低的;平均密度在裸地和3种盐沼植物地间都存在显著差异(P<0.05,LSD检验);平均生物量在海三棱藨草地与裸地间存在极显著的差异(P<0.01,LSD检验);等级聚类分析(Cluster)表明,裸地和盐沼植物地间大型底栖动物群落差异明显。hs、lw、hh中的优势种都是底上附着型的软体动物,而ld中则以穴居型的甲壳动物占优势;hs、lw、hh、ld的面上群与面下群的比值分别为0.56、0.63、0.63、0.75。3种盐沼植物地间大型底栖动物群落相似性程度较高,但非度量多维标度(MDS)排序仍然揭示出可以区分的差异。这些差异体现了盐沼植物对大型底栖动物群落的明显影响。盐沼植物是通过直接改变生境结构或间接影响水动力和沉积物扰动等作用进而明显地影响大型底栖动物群落,盐沼植物也是影响潮间带大型底栖动物群落的重要生态因子。     

不同红树植物群落中大型底栖动物群落的比较

2005—2006年对广东湛江红树林国家级自然保护区湿地三种红树植物群落（白骨壤+桐化树群落、桐花树群落、木榄+桐花树群落）的大型底栖动物群落特征进行了分析研究。白骨壤+桐化树群落大型底栖动物群落的物种数、栖息密度、生物量、丰富度指数和多样性指数均最高，优势度指数居中，均匀度指数略低于桐花树群落；桐花树群落大型底栖动物物种数急剧减少，尤其是底内型、底上附着型和穴居型种类减少明显，生物量和栖息密度下降到最低，由于个体数种间分配较为均匀而导致优势度指数下降而均匀度指数增高，虽丰富度指数略低于白骨壤+桐化树群落，但多样性指数接近于白骨壤+桐化群落；木榄+桐花树群落，大型底栖动物群落的物种数，尤其是穴居型和底内型种数继续减少，但生物量和栖息密度有所上升，个体数种间分配不均匀而使优势度指数增高而均匀度下降，加上丰富度指数最低，故多样性指数最小。白骨壤+桐化树群落优势种的生活是底内型和穴居型；桐花树和木榄+桐花树群落优势种的生活型均是穴居型。三种红树植物群落中的大型底栖动物群落的GS/GSB分别为0.48、0.63、0.80。相同红树植物群落大型底栖动物群落结构都较为相似，木榄+桐花树群落的相似性最高，而不同红树植物群落大型底栖动物群落特征的差异明显，反映了不同红树群落对底栖动物群落作用的差别，同时也展示了各种大型底栖动物对不同红树群落生境的适应情况。     

不同发育时间的互花米草盐沼对大型底栖动物群落的影响

2004-2006年对长江口崇明东滩湿地芦苇(Phragmites australis)盐沼和不同发育时间的互花米草(Spartina alterniflora)盐沼的大型底栖动物群落特征进行分析研究.结果表明:互花米草盐沼发育初期,大型底栖动物群落以腹足类为主,物种丰富度(D=2.18)和多样性(H′=2.19)均低于芦苇盐沼(D=2.61, H′=2.29);随着时间的推移,互花米草与本地生物逐渐形成互动和稳定的格局,大型底栖动物群落组成中多毛类的种类逐渐上升(由3种变为6种),物种数和物种丰富度也上升,从而逐步形成新的大型底栖动物群落,物种丰富度(D=2.70)和多样性(H′=2.48)逐渐上升并高于芦苇盐沼(D=2.19, H′=2.09);从大型底栖动物群落的重新形成到稳定阶段,需要若干年的时间.     

长江口盐沼湿地不同亚生境的大型底栖动物群落组成和多样性差异

2015年7月—2016年6月每月在长江口盐沼湿地采集潮沟、光滩和盐沼(以海三棱藨草为主)三种亚生境的大型底栖动物样本,分析其群落组成和多样性差异。结果表明:共采集到大型底栖动物21种,隶属4门、5纲、15科,以软甲纲(7种)和多毛纲(4种)种类较多;潮沟和盐沼亚生境的优势种无差异;盐沼底栖动物物种数最高,潮沟次之,光滩物种数最低;盐沼底栖动物的密度和生物量均高于其他2种亚生境;三种亚生境的大型底栖动物密度两两间差异显著(P0.05),而生物量无显著差异(P0.05);盐沼底栖动物群落的Shannon多样性指数最高(1.08),光滩次之(1.03),而潮沟最低(0.63);光滩底栖动物群落的Simpson物种丰富度指数、Pielou均匀度指数值均高于潮沟和盐沼,反映光滩底栖动物群落种类密度的分布相比其他2种亚生境较为均匀;通过群落聚类和非度量多维标度分析发现,盐沼和潮沟亚生境的大型底栖动物群落结构较为相似,而与光滩差异较大,引起两者差异的主要贡献种是谭氏泥蟹、河蚬、背蚓虫等。     

河口盐沼植物对大型底栖动物群落的影响

通过对长江口崇明东滩盐沼海三棱燕草带大型底栖无脊椎动物进行取样调查,研究了不同盐沼底栖动物群落结构及其多样性特征,分析了盐沼植物群落特征与底栖动物群落的关系。研究发现。（1）沿着河口盐沼海拔梯度,从低位盐沼到高位盐沼,底栖动物群落结构及多样性具有明显的梯度变化;（2）盐沼植被与底栖动物群落有密切的关系,尤其是植株高度,地下部分生物量与底栖动物密度,Shannon-Weiner多样性指数,物种丰度的相关性最显著。（3）盐沼植被影响底栖动物群落,是由于植物的地下部分和地下部分结构导致盐沼生境结构复杂,增加了沉积物表层环境的结构异质性,使生境多样化,给底栖动物提供大量生活空间,（4）不同盐沼带海三陵蔗草群落的差异,提供了盐沼表层地貌的变化,这种变化及植物结构的复杂化,在这一些动物提供拓殖地的同时,也为底栖动物躲避捕食者提供了避护所;（5）盐沼植被可以改变口潮滩生境中的沉积环境,并通过消浪、缓流及调节有机质的输入动态和沉积作用而影响底栖动物群落的组成和结构。     

崇明东滩藻类盐渍带大型底栖动物功能群的划分及其分布特征

在崇明东滩藻类盐渍带大型底栖动物取样调研的基础上,依据食性、生活型以及传统分类特征进行3种形式的功能群划分,并分析其组成与时空分布特征。调查期间,共采集到大型底栖动物19种,主要优势种(IRI20)均属于双壳类。结果表明:功能群组成存在明显的时空变化特征;对同一功能群及相应的功能群整体而言,其空间分布较其时间分布差异更为显著;但不同划分方式功能群整体时空分布特征有所不同,其密度与物种数均以生活型功能群整体的时空分布差异最为显著,而食性功能群则最不明显;单个功能群的密度与物种数以生活型功能群中的底上型功能群的时空分布差异最为显著;不同划分方式功能群所反映的大型底栖动物群落相关信息存在差异,在具体研究中应考虑不同功能群划分方式的组合,以达到多层次反映系统信息的目的。     

廉州湾滨海湿地潮间带大型底栖动物群落次级生产力

于2011年1月、4月、7月和10月开展广西廉州湾的裸滩、红树林和茳芏(Cyperus malaccensis)盐沼3种湿地生境类型的潮间带大型底栖动物群落季节动态调查,采用Brey 经验公式估算各生境次级生产力.结果表明:共采集到潮间带大型底栖动物8门156种,其中裸滩生境有136种,红树林生境85种,盐沼生境29种;站位平均种数为裸滩9.5±4.8种,红树林9.5±3.9种,盐沼5.9±1.9种,同时,各类群占总种数比例大小规律一致,为软体动物门＞节肢动物门＞环节动物门＞脊索动物门＞其他;盐沼生境大型底栖动物群落结构变化较小,宁波泥蟹(Ilyoplax ningpoensis)优势很明显,随着水体盐度上升,红树林和裸滩优势种由适应低盐环境向适应高盐环境的种类变化;廉州湾潮间带大型底栖动物群落的次级生产力平均为15.88 g·m-2·a-1,裸滩、红树林和盐沼生境分别为16.16、9.97、3.88g·m-2 ·a-1;P/B值平均为0.70,3种生境分别为盐沼1.02,裸滩0.70,红树林0.65;廉州湾潮间带大型底栖动物年湿质量生产量为14623 t.水体盐度和植被类型是影响廉州湾潮间带大型底栖动物群落结构的优势种群以致次级生产力的空间分布变化的主要因素.     

不同植物配置下人工湿地大型底栖动物群落特征及其与环境因子的关系

大型底栖动物在人工湿地生态系统的物质循环和能量流动过程中发挥着重要作用,是保持湿地结构稳定、高效运行的重要因素。为了解大型底栖动物在人工湿地内的群落特征,于2013年8月—2014年5月对盐龙湖芦苇(Phragmites communis)、茭草(Zizania latifolia)、狭叶香蒲(Typha angustifolia)表流人工湿地的大型底栖动物群落进行调查。结合相对重要性指数(IRI)、多样性指数(Shannon-Wiener多样性指数,Pielou均匀度指数,Margalef丰富度指数)与相关性分析等手段,研究了不同植物配置下人工湿地大型底栖动物群落特征及其与环境因子的关系。调查共采集到大型底栖动物14种,主要优势物种为纹沼螺(Parafossarulus striatulus)、霍普水丝蚓(Limnodrilus hoffmeisteri)、长角涵螺(Alocinma longicornis)、摇蚊幼虫(Tendipes sp.),但不同植物配置下优势物种有所差别。芦苇、茭草及狭叶香蒲湿地的年均大型底栖动物密度分别为285、330、266个/m2,年均生物量分别为25.6、104.0、32.3 g/m2。茭草湿地的大型底栖动物群落在物种数量、均匀程度上要高于芦苇及狭叶香蒲湿地,而后两者多样性水平相当。茭草湿地底栖动物群落生物量与软体动物密度呈极显著(P0.01)正相关,总密度与水深呈显著(P0.05)负相关,环节动物的密度与全氮(STN)、有机质(SOM)之间分别呈极显著(P0.01)、显著(P0.05)正相关。研究为今后人工湿地生态系统的设计、管护以及长效运行提供新的思路。     

优势种去除对崇明东滩盐沼湿地生态系统的影响

盐沼生态系统环境梯度明显,物种组成较简单,是研究生物多样性与生态系统功能关系的理想对象。本研究以崇明东滩盐沼湿地为研究区域,研究优势种去除对植物群落结构以及底栖动物群落的影响。结果表明:(1)去除处理仅对植物群落分株密度有极显著效应(P0.01)。去除组和对照组物种组成差异随时间增加而减小,处理效应逐渐减弱。(2)去除组底栖动物密度均低于对照组,但差异不显著。(3)盐沼植物群落特征与底栖动物群落有密切关系,植物密度、冠层高度与底栖动物密度相关性极显著。去除优势种后,植物群落分株密度升高,群落内剩余物种占比有所上升,次优势种对群落的补偿效应具有较大贡献;而底栖动物群落密度下降,其生物量和多样性指数的变化趋势与密度并不一致。上述结果表明生物多样性变化影响了盐沼湿地生态系统植物群落和底栖动物群落结构,进而可能影响物质循环和能量流动过程。     

长江口潮下带春季大型底栖动物的群落结构

2005年4月对长江口全区域潮下带共10个采样站位的大型底栖动物进行了调查。调查采获大型底栖动物38种,分属5个生态类型,种类数较少,河口外缘站位种类数多于口内站位。各站位大型底栖动物的平均丰度为32.9个/m2、平均生物量为5.035g/m2(湿重);与20世纪七八十年代相比,平均生物量显著降低;口外缘站位的总丰度和总生物量均高于口内站位。环境因子相关分析表明,盐度是决定长江口大型底栖动物种类分布最重要的环境因子。群落聚类、标序分析显示,春季长江口潮下带大型底栖动物群落结构空间分异明显,完全符合目前长江口支、港、槽“三级分汊”的空间格局。其中,北支的大型底栖动物以混合高盐水种类为主,而南支则以淡水和半咸水种类为主。南支的南北槽分界处内外站位的群落差异也由盐度决定,因为靠近口内的群落均受长江冲淡水影响较大;而口外站位群落则受咸淡水影响。南支的南北港分界点内外的群落差异则主要受长江来水的影响,原因在于处在港分界点以内的群落所在区域,直接受长江来水的冲刷,底质环境极不稳定;而港、槽分界点之间的群落所在区域由于河口上段的诸多明暗沙体的阻挡,水势较为稳定,所以底质环境较稳定,从而使得港、槽分界点之间的群落出现了更多的沙蚕等底质环境类型种类。     

Herbivory affects salt marsh succession dynamics by suppressing the recovery of dominant species

Disturbance can generate heterogeneous environments and profoundly influence plant diversity by creating patches at different successional stages. Herbivores, in turn, can govern plant succession dynamics by determining the rate of species replacement, ultimately affecting plant community structure. In a south-western Atlantic salt marsh, we experimentally evaluated the role of herbivory in the recovery following disturbance of the plant community and assessed whether herbivory affects the relative importance of sexual and clonal reproduction on these dynamics. Our results show that herbivory strongly affects salt marsh secondary succession by suppressing seedlings and limiting clonal colonization of the dominant marsh grass, allowing subordinate species to dominate disturbed patches. These results demonstrate that herbivores can have an important role in salt marsh community structure and function, and can be a key force during succession dynamics.     

Dynamics of bacterial and fungal communities on decaying salt marsh grass

Both bacteria and fungi play critical roles in decomposition processes in many natural environments, yet only rarely have they been studied as an integrated microbial community. Here we describe the bacterial and fungal assemblages associated with two decomposition stages of Spartina alterniflora detritus in a productive southeastern U.S. salt marsh. 16S rRNA genes and 18S-to-28S internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions were used to target the bacterial and ascomycete fungal communities, respectively, based on DNA sequence analysis of isolates and environmental clones and by using community fingerprinting based on terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP) analysis. Seven major bacterial taxa (six affiliated with the alpha-Proteobacteria and one with the Cytophagales) and four major fungal taxa were identified over five sample dates spanning 13 months. Fungal terminal restriction fragments (T-RFs) were informative at the species level; however, bacterial T-RFs frequently comprised a number of related genera. Amplicon abundances indicated that the salt marsh saprophyte communities have little-to-moderate variability spatially or with decomposition stage, but considerable variability temporally. However, the temporal variability could not be readily explained by either successional shifts or simple relationships with environmental factors. Significant correlations in abundance (both positive and negative) were found among dominant fungal and bacterial taxa that possibly indicate ecological interactions between decomposer organisms. Most associations involved one of four microbial taxa: two groups of bacteria affiliated with the alpha-Proteobacteria and two ascomycete fungi (Phaeosphaeria spartinicola and environmental isolate "4clt").     

Mobile dunes and eroding salt marshes

The paper deals with general outlines of salt marsh and dune vegetation in the Ellenbogen and Listland area on Sylt (Schleswig-Holstein, FRG). The composition of current salt marsh vegetation is considered to be mainly the result of a long-lasting process of tidal inundation, grazing, and a permanent influence of groundwater seepage from the surrounding dunes. The lower salt marsh communities have shown constancy for 67 years, due to the effect of heavy grazing. The mid-upper salt marsh communities demonstrated a succession from aPuccinellia maritima-dominated community of the lower marsh to aJuncus gerardii-dominated community of the mid-upper salt marsh, which may be due to the transport of sand — over a short time — on the surface of the marsh. The area covered by plant communities of annuals below Mean High Water (MHW) seemed to diminish. Salt marsh soils, especially of the mid-upper marsh, indicate sandy layers resulting from sand drift of the dunes. Dry and wet successional series of the dunes in the Listland/Ellenbogen area both show grassy stages shifting to dwarf shrubs as final stages. White primary dunes can only be found on the accreting shoreline of the Ellenbogen, which is also grazed by sheep; vegetation cover therefore remains dominated by grasses, mosses and lichens. Three mobile dunes (as the most prominent features of this landscape) have been left unaffected by seeding and planting by local authorities. Grazing is considered to be an inadequate tool in nature conservation as long as natural processes are to prevail in the landscape as major determinants.     

Effects of earthworms and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi depend on the successional stage of a grassland plant community

Earthworms and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) have profound impacts on plant performance. However, it is largely unknown if and how earthworms and AMF may affect plant succession. We planted mesocosms with an early-mid successional and a mid-late successional grassland plant community and added endogeic earthworms and commercial AMF in a full-factorial way to natural background soil. Earthworms had a positive effect on the total root and shoot biomass of both plant communities, with the effect on the shoots being slightly enhanced by co-inoculation with AMF. Surprisingly, the earthworm effect on the mid successional plant species depended on the successional stage of the plant community. Earthworms had a positive effect on the mid successional plant species when they were growing in the mid-late successional plant community, but no effect when the same plant species were growing in the early-mid successional plant community. Addition of AMF alone tended to reduce the shoot biomass of the early successional plant species, while the addition of earthworms in the presence or absence of AMF increased their shoot biomass. We conclude that the impacts of earthworms on plant species may depend on the successional stage of the plant community, while the effect of AMF addition depends on the successional stage of the plant community and may be changed by the presence of earthworms. Earthworms and AMF addition affect plants and plant communities of different successional stages differently with potential effects on plant succession.     

Response of tidal freshwater macrobenthos to sediment disturbance

The macrobenthic fauna in the tidal freshwater James River, Virginia, USA, exhibited a high degree of resilience and limited temporal response to sediment disturbance caused by large quantities of low bulk density (< 1.3 g cm^–3) fluid mud. The fluid mud was produced by hydraulic dredge deepening of a ship channel with disposal of dredged sediments onto a nearby shoal. The response of tidal freshwater communities to fluid mud was limited to mainly quantitative changes in abundance of dominant taxa (Limnodrilus spp., L. hoffmeisteri, Ilyodrilus templetoni, Corbicula fluminea, Coelotanypus scapularis) and was directly related to the thickness of fluid mud layers. Disturbance effects were short lived and for tubificids most obvious in areas with > 0.3 m fluid mud. In areas that received < 0.3 m fluid mud, acute effects were limited to chironomids and small (< 10 mm) C. fluminea. The fauna colonizing the areas disturbed by fluid mud was the same as that inhabiting the shoal prior to disturbance. There was no indication of a successional sequence, as reported for other freshwater and marine habitats. Three weeks after the disturbance ended, all but a few insect taxa had recolonized. Changes in community structure from fluid mud disturbance were slight with total taxa best characterizing the disturbance. The insensitivity of community structure measures reflects the high resiliency of macrobenthic communities to physical stresses in tidal freshwater systems.     

陕西子午岭生态因素对植物群落的影响

为探讨生境对植被格局分布的影响,对黄土高原马栏林区60块样地进行植被学调查的基础上,采用17个环境指标刻画植物群落的空间位置、地形和土壤特征;利用双向指示种分析(TWINSPAN)划分了该区不同演替阶段的植物群落类型;利用前向选择法(forward selection)及Monte Carlo检验对不同演替阶段植物群落物种组成影响显著(p＜0.05)的环境因子进行筛选;利用去势典范对应分析(DCCA)排序方法分析不同演替阶段植物群落分布格局与环境的关系;利用偏典范对应分析(partial CCA)定量分离环境、空间及其交互作用对植被格局总体变异的影响.结果表明:(1)马栏林区的植物群落可划分为13个类型,分别属于4个不同的演替阶段;(2)对演替初期阶段群落影响显著的环境因子是土壤含盐量和碱解氮,对演替过渡阶段群落影响显著的环境因子是海拔和腐殖质厚度,对演替亚顶级阶段群落影响显著的因子是海拔、坡向、枯落物厚度、腐殖质厚度和pH值,而对演替顶级阶段群落分异影响显著的因子是海拔、坡向、pH值和速效磷;(3)不同演替阶段群落的生态学特性和分布规律与环境空间的生态梯度格局吻合较好;(4)随着演替的进行,环境因子单独对植物群落的影响越来越大,而样地位置单独作用和样地位置与环境因子的交互作用之和越来越小.     

Nitrogen and phosphorus limitation in a coastal barrier salt marsh: the implications for vegetation succession

1 A factorial fertilizer experiment was conducted in a 15-year-old coastal barrier salt marsh with a low soil nitrogen content, and in an older 100-year-old marsh with a higher nitrogen content. Plots were fertilized at high and low marsh elevations in both marshes. Nitrogen and phosphorus were applied at low and high concentrations both separately and in combination in each of 3 successive years.
2 Nitrogen limited above-ground plant growth in both young and old salt marshes in all years. Phosphorus limitation of plant growth was apparent in the first year in the young marsh and in the last year in both marshes. In young marshes with low soil organic matter, phosphorus limitation may occur. In addition, phosphorus limitation occurs at both successional stages when a marsh is saturated with nitrogen.
3 Plant species that are typical of nitrogen-rich habitats and late successional stages significantly increased in biomass after fertilization. Limonium vulgare , a low stature species of early and intermediate successional stages, decreased in biomass, whereas the taller Elymus pycnanthus and Artemisia maritima increased. After 3 years of fertilization, plant species composition in a young marsh was similar to the species composition in an unfertilized older marsh. Fertilization of a 100-year-old marsh, however, still resulted in a change in plant species composition, suggesting that succession was still occurring and that, overall, plants in marshes of different age are similar in their response to fertilization.     

Dynamics of bacterial community succession in a salt marsh chronosequence: evidences for temporal niche partitioning

The mechanisms underlying community assembly and promoting temporal succession are often overlooked in microbial ecology. Here, we studied an undisturbed salt marsh chronosequence, spanning over a century of ecosystem development, to understand bacterial succession in soil. We used 16S rRNA gene-based quantitative PCR to determine bacterial abundance and multitag 454 pyrosequencing for community composition and diversity analyses. Despite 10-fold lower 16S rRNA gene abundances, the initial stages of soil development held higher phylogenetic diversities than the soil at late succession. Temporal variations in phylogenetic β-diversity were greater at initial stages of soil development, possibly as a result of the great dynamism imposed by the daily influence of the tide, promoting high immigration rates. Allogenic succession of bacterial communities was mostly driven by shifts in the soil physical structure, as well as variations in pH and salinity, which collectively explained 84.5% of the variation concerning community assemblage. The community assembly data for each successional stage were integrated into a network co-occurrence analysis, revealing higher complexity at initial stages, coinciding with great dynamism in turnover and environmental variability. Contrary to a spatial niche-based perspective of bacterial community assembly, we suggest temporal niche partitioning as the dominant mechanism of assembly (promoting more phylotype co-occurrence) in the initial stages of succession, where continuous environmental change results in the existence of multiple niches over short periods of time.