Seagrass macrofaunal abundance shows both multifractality and scale-invariant patchiness
In: Marine Environmental Research. Applied Science Publishers: Barking. ISSN 0141-1136; e-ISSN 1879-0291, more
|  |
| Keywords |
Abundance
Macrobenthos
Seagrass
Marine/Coastal |
| Author keywords |
Moreton bay; Multifractality; Patchiness; Self-similarity; Spatial scale; Taylor's index of aggregation |
| Authors | | Top |
- Barnes, R.S. K.
- Laurie, H.
|
|
|
| Abstract |
Spatial patterns of abundance of the whole macrobenthic assemblage and of its 10 most numerous species were examined across hierarchically nested scales within a 0.85 ha area of intertidal seagrass in subtropical Moreton Bay, Queensland. Multifractality characterised the assemblage and all ten dominant species across those scales (c. 33, 130, 530 & 2115 m2), with patchiness of assemblage numbers and those of at least some dominants exhibiting scale-invariance. The system displayed several abundance peaks, 12% of stations accounting for 88% of total variance, with many individual dominants showing a series of non-overlapping 'hot-spots'. Scale invariance and multifractality occurred notwithstanding low levels of species interaction consequent on maintenance at very low density. This suggests that critical self-organisation cannot be responsible for such patterning. Contrary to received wisdom, coefficient β of Taylor's power-law cannot form an index of aggregation, although it does indicate direction of change in dispersion pattern with changing numbers. |
|
