Scaling population density to body size: tests in two soft-sediment intertidal communities
Dugan, J.E.; Hubbard, D.M.; Page, H.M. (1995). Scaling population density to body size: tests in two soft-sediment intertidal communities. J. Coast. Res. 11(3): 849-857
www.jstor.org/stable/4298385
In: Journal of Coastal Research. Coastal Education and Research Foundation: Fort Lauderdale. ISSN 0749-0208; e-ISSN 1551-5036, more
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| Keywords |
Aquatic communities > Benthos
Topographic features > Landforms > Coastal landforms > Beaches
Water bodies > Coastal waters > Coastal landforms > Coastal inlets > Tidal inlets
Water bodies > Inland waters > Wetlands > Marshes > Salt marshes
Marine/Coastal |
| Authors | | Top |
- Dugan, J.E.
- Hubbard, D.M.
- Page, H.M.
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| Abstract |
An inverse relationship between population density and body size has been reported for a number of natural communities and taxonomic assemblages in terrestrial and aquatic systems. Such relationships have not been widely examined in marine communities. No evidence of an inverse relationship between population density and body size was found in samples of macrofauna from marine intertidal communities with soft sediments, exposed sand beaches and salt marsh tidal channels over a range of up to four orders of magnitude in population density and five orders of magnitude in body size. Relationships between population density and body size in those communities were generally not significant. For all but one of the samples, the slope of a linear regression between population density and body size was positive. We propose that the role of physical processes and disturbance in community structure, the nature of food and space resources, and the survival value conferred by size and hard exoskeletons contribute to that result for marine intertidal macrofauna communities in soft sediments. |
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