Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Macrobenthic migration and its influence on the intertidal diversity dynamics of a meso-tidal system

  • Research Article
  • Published:
Marine Biology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The link between movement and migration of organisms to patterns of biodiversity may be an important mechanism of biodiversity maintenance at local scales, but is regularly underestimated in marine studies. Patterns of diversity, density and distribution of all mobile macrofaunal components of an intertidal assemblage were quantitatively investigated throughout diurnal and tidal cycles in a meso-tidal system in southwest Ireland. A significant trend of decreasing diversity with shore height was observed during periods of emersion at both day and night, but not during immersion. While certain taxa (e.g. the isopod Ligia oceanica and the sea mite Erythraeus sp.) exhibited obvious patterns of activity and migration with tide and time, the majority of species were observed to be sedentary or showed no obvious pattern of migration. The influence of rare, transient species on biodiversity measurement and community structure was significant, particularly during periods of immersion. In order to produce meaningful descriptions of intertidal biodiversity, it is therefore crucial that future studies be conducted during periods of immersion and emersion, and that they should consider the influence of migrating species.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Barnes RSK (1981) An experimental study of the pattern and significance of the climbing behaviour of Hydrobia ulvae. J Mar Biol Ass UK 61:285–299

    Google Scholar 

  • Barnes RSK, Hughes RN (1988) Rocky shores and kelp forests. In: Barnes RSK, Hughes RN (eds) An introduction to marine ecology. Blackwell, Oxford, pp 119–160

  • Beaugrand G, Ibanez F (2002) Spatial dependence of calanoid copepod diversity in the North Atlantic Ocean. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 232:197–211

    Google Scholar 

  • Bell JJ, Turner JR (2003) Temporal and spatial variability of mobile fauna on a submarine cliff and boulder scree complex: a community in flux. Hydrobiologia 503:171–182

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Beyst B, Vanaverbeke J, Vincx M, Mees J (2002) Tidal and diurnal periodicity in macrocrustaceans and demersel fish of an exposed sandy beach, with special emphasis on juvenile plaice Pleuronectes platessa. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 225:263–274

    Google Scholar 

  • Chapman MG (2000) A comparative study of differences among species and patches of habitat on movements of three species of intertidal gastropods. J Exp Mar Biol Ecol 244:181–201

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chapman MG, Underwood AJ (1994) Dispersal of the intertidal snail, Nodolittorina pyramidalis, in response to the topographic complexity of the substratum. J Exp Mar Biol Ecol 179:145–169

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Costello MJ, Myers AA (1996) Turnover of transient species as a contributor to the richness of a stable amphipod (Crustacea) fauna in a sea inlet. J Exp Mar Biol Ecol 202:49–62

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Crook AC, Long M, Barnes DKA (2000) Quantifying daily migrations in the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus. J Mar Biol Ass UK 80:177–178

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Crowe TP, Underwood AJ (1998) Testing behavioural “preference” for suitable microhabitat. J Exp Mar Biol Ecol 225:1–11

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dawson Shepherd AR, Warwick RM, Clarke KR, Brown BE (1992) An analysis of fish community responses to coral mining in the Maldives. Environ Biol Fish 33:367–380

    Google Scholar 

  • Gaston KJ (2003) The how and why of biodiversity. Nature 421:900–901

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gibson RN, Robb L, Burrows MT, Ansell AD (1996) Tidal, diel and longer term changes in the distribution of fishes on a Scottish sandy beach. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 130:1–17

    Google Scholar 

  • Grinnell J (1922) The role of the “Accidental”. Auk 39:373–380

    Google Scholar 

  • Hampel H, Cattrijsse A, Vincx M (2003) Tidal, diel and semi-lunar changes in the faunal assemblage of an intertidal salt marsh creek. Estuarine Coastal Shelf Sci 56:795–805

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hawkins JP, Roberts CM, Clark V (2000) The threatened status of restricted-range coral reef fish species. Anim Conserv 3:81–88

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Howson CM, Picton BE (eds) (1997) The species directory of the marine fauna and flora of the British Isles and surrounding seas. Ulster Museum, Belfast

  • Hutchinson N, Williams GA (2003) An assessment of variation in molluscan grazing pressure on Hong Kong rocky shores. Mar Biol 142:495–507

    Google Scholar 

  • Ingolfsson A, Agnarsson I (2004) Amphipods and isopods in the rocky intertidal: dispersal and movements during high tide. Mar Biol (in press)

    Google Scholar 

  • Kavaliers M, Perrot-Sinal (1996) Measuring activity in invertebrates and lower vertebrates. In: Ossenkopp KP, Kavaliers M, Sanberg, PR (eds) Measuring movement and locomotion: from invertebrates to humans. Landes, Austin, Tex., pp 13–31

  • Kerr B, Riley MA, Feldman MW, Bohannan BJM (2002) Local dispersal promotes biodiversity in a real-life game of rock-paper-scissors. Nature 418:171–174

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Levings SC, Garrity SD (1983) Diel and tidal movement of two co-occurring neritid snails; differences in grazing patterns on a tropical rocky shore. J Exp Mar Biol Ecol 67:261–278

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Magurran AE (1988) Ecological diversity and its measurement. Croom Helm, London

  • Mattila J, Chaplin G, Eilers MR, Heck KL, O’Neal JP, Valentine JF (1999) Spatial and diurnal distribution of invertebrate and fish fauna of a Zostera marina bed and nearby unvegetated sediments in Damariscotta River, Maine (USA). J Sea Res 41:321–332

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McKeown BA (1984) Fish migration. Croom Helm, London

  • Mora C, Chittaro PM, Sale PF, Kritzer JP, Ludsin, SA (2003) Patterns and processes in reef fish diversity. Nature 421:933–936

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Morrison MA, Francis MP, Hartill BW, Parkinson DM (2002) Diurnal and tidal variation in the abundance of the fish fauna of a temperate tidal mudflat. Estuarine Coastal Shelf Sci 54:793–807

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Myers AA (1997) Biogeographic barriers and the development of marine biodiversity. Estuarine Coastal Shelf Sci 44:241–248

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Newell GE (1958a) The behaviour of Littorina littorea (L.) under natural conditions and its relation to position on the shore. J Mar Biol Ass UK 37:229–239

    Google Scholar 

  • Newell GE (1958b) An experimental analysis of the behaviour of Littorina littorea (L.) under natural conditions and in the laboratory. J Mar Biol Ass UK 37:241–266

    Google Scholar 

  • Nickel LA, Sayer MDJ (1998) Occurrence and activity of mobile macrofauna on a sublittoral reef: diel and seasonal variation. J Mar Biol Ass UK 78:1061–1082

    Google Scholar 

  • Petraitis PS (1982) Occurrence of random and directional movements in the periwinkle, Littorina littorea (L.). J Exp Mar Biol Ecol 59:207–217

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Raffaelli D, Hawkins S (1996) Intertidal ecology. Chapman & Hall, London

  • Rochette R, Dill LM (2000) Mortality, behavior and the effects of predators on the intertidal distribution of littorinid gastropods. J Exp Mar Biol Ecol 253:165–191

    Google Scholar 

  • Sagarin RD, Gaines SD (2002) The ‘abundant centre’ distribution: to what extent is it a biogeographical rule? Ecol Lett 5:137–147

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Takada Y (1999) Influence of shade and number of boulder layers on mobile organisms on a warm temperate boulder shore. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 189:171–179

    Google Scholar 

  • Thomas CD (2000) Dispersal and extinction in fragmented landscapes. Proc R Soc Lond B 267:139–145

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Turner JR, Warman CG (1991) The mobile fauna of sublittoral cliffs. In Myers AA, Little C, Costello MJ Partridge JC (eds) The ecology of Lough Hyne. Royal Irish Academy, Dublin, pp 127–138

  • Warwick RM, Clarke KR (1995) New ‘biodiversity’ measures reveal a decrease in taxonomic distinctness with increasing stress. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 129:301–305

    Google Scholar 

  • Yamada SB, Boulding EG (1996) The role of highly mobile crab predators in the intertidal zonation of their gastropod prey. J Exp Mar Biol Ecol 204:59–83

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors wish to thank the Lough Hyne research group, particularly Christina Simkanin, Emma Verling, Kate Rawlinson and Doug Watson for assistance in the field. Many thanks also to Simon Harrison for statistical advice. The work was carried out under a permit granted by Declan O’Donnell (Duchas) to conduct research at Lough Hyne Marine Nature Reserve. This work was carried out in partial fulfillment of a PhD conducted by I.C.D. who is supported by the Higher Education Authority, Ireland. We are also grateful to an anonymous reviewer whose suggestions improved the manuscript.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Zoology, Ecology and Plant Science, University College Cork, Lee Maltings, Prospect Row, Cork

    I. C. Davidson

  2. Centre for the Development of Teaching and Learning, University of Reading, Whiteknights, RG6 6AH, Reading, UK

    A. C. Crook

  3. Biological Sciences Division, British Antarctic Survey, NERC, High Cross, Madingley Road, CB3 OET, Cambridge, UK

    D. K. A. Barnes

Authors
  1. I. C. Davidson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. A. C. Crook
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. D. K. A. Barnes
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to I. C. Davidson.

Additional information

Communicated by J.P. Thorpe, Port Erin

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Davidson, I.C., Crook, A.C. & Barnes, D.K.A. Macrobenthic migration and its influence on the intertidal diversity dynamics of a meso-tidal system. Marine Biology 145, 833–842 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00227-004-1373-z

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00227-004-1373-z

Keywords

Search

Navigation