Modeling the succession of barnacles and mussels on a sandstone reef in Pernambuco State, Brazil

摘要: Settlement and recruitment rates, biological interactions, environmental parameters, larval supply are factors that influence community structure in areas where barnacles mussels the dominant fauna. This study modeled succession populations of two barnacle species, Tetraclita stalactifera (Lamarck, 1818) Chthamalus bisinuatus (Pilsbry, 1916), a bivalve, Brachidontes solisianus (d’Orbigny, 1846), on sandstone reef at Piedade Beach, Pernambuco State, Brazil. The different stages life cycles these invertebrates represented by adult immature forms this model simulated as numbers individuals per 100 cm2. Recruitment rates forcing functions based field experiments with time-steps 1 day. In addition to intraspecific competition, takes into account interspecific competition reciprocal effects carrying capacities. Field data from were used calibrate model. collected random 10 × 10-cm plots within 1-m transect bed April December 2007. Correlation coefficients between simulation results statistically significant for both populations; sensitivity analysis showed increases decreases invertebrate population densities always smaller than 10% compared baseline values. Patch closure growth was one main processes observed during rainy season. However, species end experiments, an average density close Cirripedia may inhibit bivalve re-colonization settling over shells more efficiently occupying free space having higher bivalves dry