TY - JOUR
T1 - Spatial intertidal distribution of bivalves and polychaetes in relation to environmental conditions in the Natori River estuary, Japan
AU - Tomiyama, Takeshi
AU - Komizunai, Nobuhiro
AU - Shirase, Tatsuya
AU - Ito, Kinuko
AU - Omori, Michio
PY - 2008/11/10
Y1 - 2008/11/10
N2 - This paper aims to reveal spatial variation in the abundance of infaunal bivalves and polychaetes at different spatial scales (station: 200-800 m intervals; plot: 5-20 m), and to reveal environmental variables affecting the spatial distribution of animals in the Natori River estuary, Japan. We found six bivalve species and eight polychaete species from 52 plots at 12 stations. Nuttallia olivacea and Heteromastus sp. were found to be the most abundant species of bivalves and polychaetes, respectively. Assemblage patterns of bivalves and polychaetes were classified into five distinct groups. Substrata (silt-clay contents), salinity, and relative elevation were the variables found to affect the infaunal assemblage patterns. Chlorophyll a was not a significant variable, but benthic animals were absent at sites with extremely low chlorophyll a conditions. Macrobenthic assemblage patterns were different not only between stations but often differed between plots at the same station, reflecting the complex assemblage structure of benthic invertebrates. Detailing such animal-environment relationship is essential in understanding the potential food supply for estuarine fishes.
AB - This paper aims to reveal spatial variation in the abundance of infaunal bivalves and polychaetes at different spatial scales (station: 200-800 m intervals; plot: 5-20 m), and to reveal environmental variables affecting the spatial distribution of animals in the Natori River estuary, Japan. We found six bivalve species and eight polychaete species from 52 plots at 12 stations. Nuttallia olivacea and Heteromastus sp. were found to be the most abundant species of bivalves and polychaetes, respectively. Assemblage patterns of bivalves and polychaetes were classified into five distinct groups. Substrata (silt-clay contents), salinity, and relative elevation were the variables found to affect the infaunal assemblage patterns. Chlorophyll a was not a significant variable, but benthic animals were absent at sites with extremely low chlorophyll a conditions. Macrobenthic assemblage patterns were different not only between stations but often differed between plots at the same station, reflecting the complex assemblage structure of benthic invertebrates. Detailing such animal-environment relationship is essential in understanding the potential food supply for estuarine fishes.
KW - Natori River estuary
KW - Sendai Bay
KW - benthic assemblage
KW - environmental conditions
KW - estuaries
KW - multivariate analysis
KW - tidal flats
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=53449102300&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=53449102300&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.ecss.2008.08.003
DO - 10.1016/j.ecss.2008.08.003
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:53449102300
VL - 80
SP - 243
EP - 250
JO - Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science
JF - Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science
SN - 0272-7714
IS - 2
ER -