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The predictability of biological populations and communities: an example from the meiobenthos
Herman, P.M.J.; Heip, C.H.R. (1986). The predictability of biological populations and communities: an example from the meiobenthos. Hydrobiologia 142: 281-290. https://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF00026765
In: Hydrobiologia. Springer: The Hague. ISSN 0018-8158; e-ISSN 1573-5117
Related to:
Herman, P.M.J.; Heip, C.H.R. (1986). The predictability of biological populations and communities: an example from the meiobenthos, in: Heip, C.H.R. et al. (1987). Long-term changes in coastal benthic communities: Proceedings of a symposium, held in Brussels, Belgium, December 9-12, 1985. Developments in Hydrobiology, 38: pp. 281-290. https://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-4049-9_24, more
Peer reviewed article  

Available in  Authors 
    Vlaams Instituut voor de Zee: Open Marine Archive 129245 [ download pdf ]

Keywords
    Aquatic communities > Benthos > Meiobenthos
    Monitoring
    Prediction
    Time series
    Copepoda [WoRMS]
    Marine/Coastal

Authors  Top 
  • Herman, P.M.J.
  • Heip, C.H.R.

Abstract
    The predictability of temporal changes was analysed in the population density of three meiobenthic copepod species, and for three parameters characterizing this community. For Paranychocamptus nanus and Tachidius discipes a large part of the variation in time scales longer than 1 year is explainable as cyclic factors. In P. nanus clear cycles with periods of 2 years and 1.5 years were found. These cyclic factors can be extrapolated for prediction. In Canuella perplexa almost all the variation was due to unpredictable long-term drift. Community parameters are generally better predicted than population densities. In our data set total density of the copepods was the best parameter to monitor. Monitoring does not necessitate a strict sampling scheme; irregular quarterly sampling from the P. nanus series showed that the essential features of the series were still discernible.

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