Niche characterization of dominant estuarine benthic species

摘要: Abstract Benthic macroinfaunal species in a south Texas estuarine environment were studied over 2·5 year period to characterize their distributions and ecology. The 13 dominant taxa chosen for investigation exhibited distinct habitat usage differences as judged both by the use of discriminant analysis differentiation behavioral characteristics. Species coexistence bethic community Corpus Christi Bay was examined with respect resource partitioning such parameters food space. Utilization these resources differed temporal spatial dimensions, dimension consisting horizontal vertical attributes. separated according (1) occurrences certain sediment types varying organic content, (2) presence regions characterized different phytoplankton productivity rates, (3) periods annual occurrence, (4) occurrence microhabitats depth relation oxygenated sediments. Superimposed upon traits, feeding differences, which further discriminated how benthic obtained resources. Based characteristic environment, we speculated on structural division various often classified common members same species' assemblages past. Although other investigators have demonstrated interactions among co-occurring infaunal species, information presented here illustrated could minimize order maintain populations.