Disturbance and patch dynamics of subtidal marine animals on hard substrata.

Abstract

Examines the mechanisms that determine the species composition, relative abundance and diversity of attached animals, concentrating on the scleractinian reef-building (hermatypic) corals on tropical reefs, and invertebrates that are attached to hard substrates (epifauna) in temperate regions or in cryptic tropical habitats. Characteristics of the disturbance regime-areal extent, intensity, frequency and seasonality-are highly correlated. Small, less intense disturbances occur frequently. Different organisms have different intrinsic vulnerabilities to disturbance, which may increase with size, age, and population density in certain growth forms. -P.J.Jarvis