Abstract
The spatial pattern of macrozoobenthos in an intertidal area was studied. Four commonly used measures of aggregation, the V/m ratio, k of the negative binomial distribution, the indices of Lloyd and b of the Taylor power function, were calculated and compared for 13 species based on 176 samples. It is argued that, contrary to common practice, the b value of the Taylor power function should not be used without the value of a, since it only measures how aggregation changes with density. The parameter k of the NBD is found to be an unreliable index of aggregation and the indices of Lloyd are difficult to interpret as well. There is very good agreement between the results of the V/m ratio and the b value of the Taylor power function. Only three species are distributed randomly, all others being aggregated. The consequences on the accuracy of sampling is discussed and it is concluded that 5 samples of 176 cm2 give an accuracy of 50% for the common species.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Anselin, A. & P. M. Meire, 1985. On measuring habitat variables in avian studies with special reference to marsh-nesting birds. Biol. Jb. Dodonaea 53: 140–152.
Bertness, M. D. & E. Grosholz, 1985. Population dynamics of the ribbed mussel,Geukensia demissa. The cost and benefits of an aggregated distribution. Oecologia 67: 192–204.
Boag, B. & P. B. Topham, 1984. Aggregation of plant parasitic nematodes and Taylor's power law. Nematologica 30: 348–357.
Botton, M. L., 1984. Spatial distribution of three species of bivalves on an intertidal flat: the interaction of life history strategy with predation and disturbance. The Veliger 26: 282–287.
Bliss, C. I., 1941. Statistical problems in estimating populations of Japanese beetle larvae. Journal of Economic Entomology 34: 221–232.
Craeymeersch, J. A., P. M. J. Herman & P. M. Meire, 1986. Secondary production of an intertidal mussel (Mytilus edulis L.) population in the Eastern Scheldt (S.W. Netherland). Hydrobiologia 133: 107–115.
Downing, J. A., 1979. Aggregation, transformation, and the design of benthos sampling programs. J. Fish. Res. Board Can. 36: 1453–1463.
Elliott, J. M., 1977. Some methods for the Statistical analysis of samples of benthic invertebrates. Freshwater Biological Association. Scientific publication No. 25 (2nd ed), Ambleside, 156 pp.
Gage, J. & A. D. Geekie, 1973. Community structure of the benthos in Scottish sea-lochs. II Spatial pattern. Mar. Biol. 19: 41–53.
Gärdefors, D. & L. Orrhage, 1968. Patchiness of some marine bottom animals. A methodological study. Oikos 19: 311–322.
Hassell, M. P., 1981. Host-parasitoid models and biological control. In G. R. Conway (ed.), The Management of Pest and Disease Problems. Int. Inst. Appl. Syst. Anal., Vienna.
Heip, C., 1975. On the significance of aggregation in some benthic marine invertebrates. In H. Barnes (Ed), Proc. 9th Europ. mar. biol. Symp. 1975, Aberdeen University Press, Aberdeen: 527–538.
Holme, N. A., 1950. Population dispersion inTellina tenuis da Costa. J. mar. biol. Ass. U.K. 29: 267–280.
Kosler, A., 1968. Distributional patterns of the eulittoral fauna near the isle of Hiddensee (Baltic Sea, Rugia). Mar. Biol. 1: 266–268.
Lim, K. P., R. K. Stewart & W. N. Yule, 1982. Spatial distribution of white grubs (Phyllophaga anxia: Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae) in two Quebec pasture soils, and optimum sample size to estimate population densities. Ann. Soc. ent. Québec 27: 176–183.
Lloyd, M., 1967. Mean crowding. J. Anim. Ecol. 36: 1–30.
Mangan, R. L. & A. Wutz, 1983. Aggregation patterns of Meadow Spittlebugs,Philaenus spumarius L. (Homoptera: Cercopidae), on old-field alfalfa plants. Envir. Ent. 12: 151–157.
McIntyre, A. D., J. M. Elliott and D. V. Ellis, 1984. Introduction: Design of Sampling Programmes. In N. A. Holme and A. D. McIntyre (eds), Methods for the study of marine benthos. IBP Handb. No. 16, 2nd edn. Oxford, Blackwell: 1–26.
Meire, P. M., 1987. Foraging behaviour of some wintering waders: Prey-selection and habitat distribution. In A. Kamil, J. Krebs & R. Pulliam (Eds). Foraging behaviour. Plenum Press, New York and London: 215–238.
Meire, P. M. & J. Coosen, 1985. Benthos and bird communities in a changing estuary. In R. Van Grieken and R. Wollast (Eds). Progress in Belgian Oceanographic research. The University of Antwerpen Press, Antwerpen: 292–303.
Meire, P. M. & A. Ervynck, 1986. Are Oystercatchers selecting the most profitable mussels? Anim. Behav. 34: 1427–1435.
Meire, P. M. & E. Kuyken, 1984 a. Relations between the distribution of waders and the intertidal benthic fauna of the Oosterschelde, The Netherlands. In P. Evans, J. D. Goss-Custard, W. Hale (Eds). Ecology of wintering waders and waterfowl. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge: 57–68.
Meire, P. M. & E. Kuyken, 1984 b. Barrage schemes — Predicting the effects of changes in tidal amplitude on wader populations. In P. Evans, H. Hafner, P. L'Hermite (Eds), Shorebirds and large waterbird conservation. CEC, DG for Science, Research and Development, Brussels: 79–89.
Meire, P. M. & E. Kuyken, in press. A description of the habitat and water populations of the Slikken van Vianen (Oosterschelde, NL) before major environmental changes and some predictions about expected changes. Le Gerfaut.
Nie, N. H., C. H. Hull, J. G. Jenkins, K. Steinbrenner & D. H. Bent, 1975. Statistical Package for the Social Sciences. Ed. 2. McGraw-Hill Book Company, New York.
Perry, J. N., 1983. Effects of spatial heterogeneity on Jones's model for cyst-nematode population dynamics and crop root damage. J. appl. Ecol. 20: 849–856.
Pielou, E. C., 1969. An introduction to mathematical ecology. John wiley, New York, 286 pp.
Reise, K., 1979. Spatial configurations generated by motile benthic polychaetes. Helgoländer wiss. Meeresuters. 32: 55–72.
Roberts, S. J., R. D. Pausch, R. J. Barney & E. J. Armbrust, 1982. Effects of Spatial Distribution on Determining the Number of Samples Required to Estimate Populations ofHypera postica, Sitona hispidulus, andHypera Punctata for Specific Probability and Accuracy levels. Envir. Ent. 11: 444–451.
Rosenberg, R., 1974. Spatial dispersion of an estuarine benthic faunal community. J. exp. mar. Biol. Ecol. 15: 69–80.
Ruesink, W. G. & M. Kogan, 1975. The quantitative basis of pest management: sampling and measuring. In R. L. Metcalf & W. H. Luckmann (eds), Introduction to insect pestmanagement. J. Wiley & Sons, New York: 309–351. .
Sastre, P., 1985. Aggregated patterns of dispersion inDonax denticulatus. Bull. mar. Sci. 36: 220–224.
Snedecor, G. W. & W. G. Cochran, 1980. Statistical Methods. Iowa State University Press, Ames, Iowa, 507 pp.
Taylor, L. R., 1961. Aggregation, variance and the mean. Nature 189: 732–735.
Taylor, L. R., 1965. A natural law for the spatial disposition of insects. Proc. XII Int. Cong. Ent., London, 1964: 396–397.
Taylor, L. R., I. P. Woiwod & J. N. Perry, 1978. The density-dependence of spatial behaviour and the rarity of randomness. J. Anim. Ecol. 47: 383–406.
Taylor, L. R., I. P. Woiwod & J. N. Perry, 1979. The negative binomial as a dynamic ecological model for aggregation, and the density dependence of k. J. Anim. Ecol. 48: 289–304.
Taylor, L. R., I. P. Woiwod & J. N. Perry, 1980. Variance and the large scale spatial stability of aphids, moths and birds. J.Anim. Ecol. 49: 831–834.
Ursin, E., 1960. A quantitative investigation of the echinoferm fauna of the central North Sea. Meddelelser fra Kommissionen for Danmarks Fiskeri og Havundersogelser 2: 1–204.
Wolff, W. J., 1983. Ecology of the Waddensee. Balkerma, Rotterdam.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Meire, P.M., Dereu, J.P.J., van der Meer, J. et al. Aggregation of littoral macrobenthic species: some theoretical and practical considerations. Hydrobiologia 175, 137–148 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00765124
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00765124