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Ecological Comparisons of Sedimentary Shores pp 297–316Cite as

Recovery Dynamics in Benthic Communities: Balancing Detail with Simplification

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Part of the book series: Ecological Studies ((ECOLSTUD,volume 151))

Abstract

Attempting to match pattern with dynamic processes has a long history in ecology (Kitching 1937; Watt 1947). For marine soft-sediment macrobenthic communities, the disturbance mosaic model (Johnson 1970, 1973) has provided a dynamic framework in which to describe patterns of spatial heterogeneity and biodiversity. The model describes the role of local disturbance events in producing patches containing benthic assemblages with different compositions at different successional stages. The perspective provided by this conceptual model emphasises that benthic communities are complex and dynamic. Spatial heterogeneity created by local disturbance events can account for resource patchiness (Thistle 1981; Van Blaricom 1982), communities with mixed trophic structure (Probert 1984) and ubiquity of opportunistic species. Thus, local disturbance events frequently playa central role in influencing the structure and function of benthic communities.

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  1. S. F. Thrush
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  2. R. B. Whitlatch
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  1. Alfred-Wegener-Institut für Polar- und Meeresforschung, Wattenmeerstation Sylt, 25992, List, Germany

    Karsten Reise

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Thrush, S.F., Whitlatch, R.B. (2001). Recovery Dynamics in Benthic Communities: Balancing Detail with Simplification. In: Reise, K. (eds) Ecological Comparisons of Sedimentary Shores. Ecological Studies, vol 151. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-56557-1_15

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-56557-1_15

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