Spatial variability of macrobenthic zonation on exposed sandy beaches |
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| Affiliation: | 1. Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research (CIIMAR/CIMAR), University of Porto, Rua dos Bragas 289, P 4050-123 Porto, Portugal;2. Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre s/n, 4150-181 Porto, Portugal;3. Secção Biologia Marinha, Departamento Biologia, Universidade dos Açores, 9501-801 Ponta Delgada, Açores, Portugal;1. Department of Chemistry and Environmental Science, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, NJ 07102, USA;2. Dipartimento di Fisica e Scienze della Terra, Università di Ferrara, 44122 Ferrara, Italy;3. Department of Marine and Coastal Science, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ 07102, USA;1. Ruđer Bošković Institute, Center for Marine Research (RBI, CMR), G. Paliaga 5, 52210 Rovinj, Croatia;2. National Research Council - Institute of Biological Resources and Marine Biotechnologies (IRBIM), UOS Ancona, Largo Fiera della Pesca 2, 60125 Ancona, Italy;3. Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), Via Vitaliano, Brancati 48, 00144 Rome, Italy;4. National Institute of Biology, Marine Biology Station (NIB, MBS), Fornače 41, 6330, Piran, Slovenia;5. National Research Council - Institute of Biological Resources and Marine Biotechnologies (IRBIM), UOS Lesina, via Pola 4, 71121 Foggia, Italy;6. Cooperativa Mare Ricerca, Via Enrico Cialdini 76, 60122 Ancona, Italy |
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| Abstract: | We analysed the consistence of vertical patterns of distribution (i.e. zonation) for macrofauna at different spatial scales on four intermediate exposed beaches in the North of Portugal. We tested the hypothesis that biological zonation on exposed sandy beaches would vary at the studied spatial scales. For this aim, abundance, diversity and structure of macrobenthic assemblages were examined at the scales of transect and beach. Moreover, the main environmental factors that could potentially drive zonation patterns were investigated. Univariate and multivariate analyses revealed that the number of biological zones ranged from two to three depending on the beach and from indistinct zonation to three zones at the scale of transect. Therefore, results support our working hypothesis because zonation patterns were not consistent at the studied spatial scales. The median particle size, sorting coefficient and water content were significantly correlated with zonation patterns of macrobenthic assemblages. However, a high degree of correlation was not reached when the total structure of the assemblage was considered. |
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