Microdistribution within a population ofacrocnida brachiata (montagu), (echinodermata: ophiuroidea) in little killary, west coast of ireland
Makra, A. Keegan, B. F.
Makra, A.
Keegan, B. F.
Publication Date
1998-03-01
Keywords
Type
Article
Downloads
Citation
Makra, A. Keegan, B. F. (1998). Microdistribution within a population ofacrocnida brachiata (montagu), (echinodermata: ophiuroidea) in little killary, west coast of ireland. Helgoländer Meeresuntersuchungen 52 (1), 65-73
Abstract
Acrocnida brachiata (Montagu), Like many other infaunal ophiuroids, has a penchant for gregariousness. In Little Killary, a small embayment on the west coast of Ireland, it colonises an extensive tract of sandy inshore ground (ca 7 m depth), at densities of 150-200 individuals/m(2). In the course of a two-year study, variation in regular suction-sampling returns prompted a detailed study of the species distribution pattern. Towards this end, 256 contiguous and stratified core samples were taken along a line of transect, in May 1995. These showed randomness with respect to the population at large, but exposed an aggregated distribution for juveniles and adults separately, at different levels within the sediment. Juveniles formed wide,'loose' patches in the surficial deposit, while adults formed smaller, denser patches deeper within the sediment. It remains to be seen what this approach may expose, when applied in different seasons, or during different phases of the species life cycle.
Funder
Publisher
Springer Nature
Publisher DOI
Rights
Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Ireland