The spatial population structure of a harpacticoid copepod community in spring |
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Authors: | David C. Hockin |
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Affiliation: | (1) Culterty Field Station, Department of Zoology, University of Aberdeen, Newburgh, Ellon, Aberdeenshire, Scotland;(2) Present address: Department of Botany, University of Liverpool, P.O. Box 147, L69 3BX, Liverpool, Merseyside, England |
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Abstract: | The spatial population patterns of an assemblage of meiobenthic harpacticoid copepod species were analysed for two sets of samples resulting from a systematic survey of an intertidal, estuarine, sandy beach in spring. The fauna was characterised by mesopsammic species, the 6 most abundant of which showed a great degree of interassociation, such that they could not be considered to distribute themselves independently. Populations of each of the 6 species were overdispersed, such that a negative binomial distribution adequately fitted all population samples. Spatial segregation of closely related species was indicated during the late spring sample, so leading to a patchy population distribution. It is proposed that during early spring, during periods of extreme disturbance in the seasonal r-selecting environment, the species populations do not interact, but that during periods of less extreme perturbation an interactive community evolves. |
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Keywords: | Harpacticoida meiofauna population distribution community structure |
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