Long-term changes (1979-1990) in three benthic communities (eastern English Channel): use of factor analysis and rank-frequency diagrams for studying structural developments
Davoult, D.; Dewarumez, J.-M.; Frontier, S. (1993). Long-term changes (1979-1990) in three benthic communities (eastern English Channel): use of factor analysis and rank-frequency diagrams for studying structural developments. Neth. J. Aquat. Ecol. 27(2-4): 415-425. https://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF02334803
In: Netherlands Journal of Aquatic Ecology. Kluwer Academic Publishers/Netherlands Society of Aquatic Ecology: Bilthoven. ISSN 1380-8427; e-ISSN 2214-7098, more
Also appears in:Meire, P.; Vincx, M. (Ed.) (1993). Marine and estuarine gradients: ECSA 21: Proceedings of the 21st symposium of the Estuarine and Coastal Sciences Association held in Gent, 9-14 september 1991. Netherlands Journal of Aquatic Ecology, 27(2-4). Netherlands Society of Aquatic Ecology: Bilthoven. 496 pp., more
|  |
| Keywords |
Marine/Coastal; Brackish water |
| Abstract |
Long-term variations (1979-1990) of three benthic communities (Eastern Channel, France) were analysed by means of factor correspondence analysis (FCA), a multivariate method of ordination in reduced space, and rank-frequency diagrams (RFD). FCA distinguished periods of relative homogeneity and periods of strong variations in the structure of the communities. Two communities, the pebbles community and a rich and diverse mussel (Mytilus edulis) bed, showed great variations in the abundance of the main species (Ophiothrix fragilis in the first one, and M. edulis in the second one) which generated the enrichment of the community by their suspension-feeding behaviour. Beyond the multi-annual cycle induced by these variations, both communities seemed to be quite stable as no continuing trends could be seen. The third community, established on heterogeneous sand, also showed a multi-annual cycle linked to granulometric variations of the sediment. As passive supplies of detritus were not important and suspension feeders could hardly live in these conditions, the community stayed poor and was dominated by carnivores and deposit-feeders. |
|
