Bustamante Rodrigo H, Branch George M, Eekhout Sean, Robertson Bruce, Zoutendyk Peter, Schleyer Michael, Dye Arthur, Hanekom Nick, Keats Derek, Jurd Michelle, McQuaid Christopher
Coastal Ecology Unit, Zoology Department, University of Cape Town, 7700, Rondebosch, South Africa.
Botany Department, University of Port Elizabeth, Port Elizabeth, South Africa.
Oecologia. 1995 May;102(2):189-201. doi: 10.1007/BF00333251.
The structure of rocky intertidal communities may be influenced by large-scale patterns of productivity. In this study we examine the in situ rates of production by intertidal epilithic microalgae (chlorophyll a production per unit area per month), intertidal nutrient concentrations (nitrates, nitrites, phosphates and silicates), and standing stocks of different functional-form groups of macroalgae around the South African coast, and their relationships to consumer biomass. Clear gradients of in situ intertidal primary production and nutrient concentrations were recorded around the South African coast, values being highest on the west coast, intermediate on the south and lowest on the east coast. Primary production by intertidal epilithic microalgae was correlated with nutrient availability and could also be related to nearshore phytoplankton production. The dominance patterns of different functional forms of macroalgae changed around the coast, with foliose algae prevalent on the west coast and coralline algae on the east coast. However, overall macroalgal standing stocks did not reflect the productivity gradient, being equally high on the east and west coasts, and low in the south. Positive relationships existed between the average biomass of intertidal intertebrate consumers (grazers and filter-feeders) and intertidal productivity, although only the grazers were directly "connected" to in situ production by epilithic intertidal microalgae. The maximum body size of a widely distributed limpet, Patella granularis, was also positively correlated with level of in situ primary production. The maximal values of biomass attained by intertidal filter-feeders were not related to intertidal primary production, and were relatively constant around the coast. At a local scale, filter-feeder biomass is known to be strongly influenced by wave action. This implies that the local-scale water movements over-ride any effects that large-scale gradients of primary production may have on filter-feeders. The large-scale gradient in intertidal productivity around the coast is thus strongly linked with grazer biomass and individual body size, but any effect it has on filter-feeder biomass seems subsidiary to the local effects of wave action.
岩质潮间带群落的结构可能受大规模生产力模式的影响。在本研究中，我们调查了南非海岸潮间带附石微藻的原位生产率（每月单位面积叶绿素a产量）、潮间带营养盐浓度（硝酸盐、亚硝酸盐、磷酸盐和硅酸盐）以及不同功能形态大型藻类的现存生物量，及其与消费者生物量的关系。在南非海岸记录到了潮间带原位初级生产力和营养盐浓度的明显梯度，西海岸的值最高，南部居中，东海岸最低。潮间带附石微藻的初级生产力与营养盐可利用性相关，也可能与近岸浮游植物生产力有关。大型藻类不同功能形态的优势模式在海岸周围发生变化，叶状藻在西海岸占优势，而珊瑚藻在东海岸占优势。然而，大型藻类的总体现存生物量并未反映出生产力梯度，在东、西海岸同样较高，而在南部较低。潮间带无脊椎动物消费者（食草动物和滤食动物）的平均生物量与潮间带生产力之间存在正相关关系，尽管只有食草动物直接与潮间带附石微藻的原位生产“相关”。一种分布广泛的帽贝（粒帽贝）的最大体型也与原位初级生产力水平呈正相关。潮间带滤食动物达到的生物量最大值与潮间带初级生产无关，在海岸周围相对恒定。在局部尺度上，已知滤食动物生物量受波浪作用强烈影响。这意味着局部尺度的水流运动掩盖了初级生产的大规模梯度可能对滤食动物产生的任何影响。因此，海岸周围潮间带生产力的大规模梯度与食草动物生物量和个体体型密切相关，但它对滤食动物生物量的任何影响似乎都从属于波浪作用的局部影响。
