Journal article
Topographic complexity and landscape temperature patterns create a dynamic habitat structure on a rocky intertidal shore
Marine Ecology Progress Series, Vol.428, pp.1-12
2011
Abstract
Habitat complexity is a fundamental driver of ecosystem structure and function. Rocky intertidal shores are the classic model system for investi - gating theoretical and mechanistic models of habitat complexity, because the structural topography is largely biologically independent and stable over time. In the present study, we investigate how static (topographic complexity and heterogeneity) and dynamic (temperature landscape) components of habitat structure influence the abundance and body-size distribution of in - vertebrates on a rocky shore. Using a novel approach that included high-resolution 3D fractal surface and temperature measurements, we show that topographic complexity, temperature landscape and habitat heterogeneity had largely independent effects on species abundance and body size. Invertebrate abundance was associated with temperature landscape in 7 of 11 species, while variation in body-size was mostly driven by fractal topography in 7 of 10 species. Overall, the body size-abundance relationship was not influenced by habitat structure, indicating that the effects of habitat structure on body size and abundance were largely independent. The results illustrate the value of combining measures of static and dynamic habitat structure to explain and predict biological patterns on rocky shores.
Details
- Title
- Topographic complexity and landscape temperature patterns create a dynamic habitat structure on a rocky intertidal shore
- Authors
- Justin J Meager (Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast - Faculty of Science, Health and EducationThomas Schlacher (Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast - Faculty of Science, Health and EducationMahdi Green (Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast - Faculty of Science, Health and Education
- Publication details
- Marine Ecology Progress Series, Vol.428, pp.1-12
- Publisher
- Inter-Research
- Date published
- 2011
- DOI
- 10.3354/meps09124
- ISSN
- 0171-8630
- Copyright note
- Copyright © 2011 Inter-Research. Reproduced in accordance with the copyright policy of the publisher.
- Organisation Unit
- School of Science and Engineering - Legacy; University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland; School of Science, Technology and Engineering
- Language
- English
- Record Identifier
- 99450115902621
- Output Type
- Journal article
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