Oysters as habitat for limpets in a temperate mangrove forest

摘要: In temperate mangrove forests in New South Wales, Australia, the limpet Patelloida mimula Iredale lives on oyster Saccostrea commercialis and Roughley, which, along with trees, provide only hard substrata a habitat otherwise dominated by soft-sediment. The objective of this study was to ascertain degree association between examining their patterns co-occurrence forest relationship individual pairs limpets oysters. Sampling distribution abundance oysters throughout revealed that were rarely present other than Patterns were, however, not directly related amount provided For example, there dramatic decline from seaward landward which reflected densities limpets. Consequently, appear set limits limpets, but factors modify broad-scale within these bounds. Limpets leave scars might be home sites. About 98% had one per surface oyster, overdispersed or repulsed. Moreover, some areas forest, lengths Tracking for 13 days > 70% remained same scar an oyster. This evidence suggests is strong particular Factors determining distribution, abundance, sizes are likely important sources variation structure populations P. forests.