Classification and ordination of benthic samples from Bedeque Bay, an estuary in Prince Edward Island, Canada

✍ Scribed by R. N. Hughes; M. L. H. Thomas

• Book ID: 104736006
• Publisher: Springer-Verlag
• Year: 1971
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 771 KB
• Volume: 10
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0025-3162
• DOI: 10.1007/bf00352811

✦ Synopsis

An attempt was made to identify the causes of the distribution of benthos within Bedeque Bay using multivariate techniques programmed for the computer. Both classification by a hierarchical cluster analysis, and ordination by principal components analysis suggested that a large proportion of the variance in the data was directly or indirectly correlated with a salinity gradient. Classification divided the species into two main groups, a in the upper half of the estuary where lower sMinities and larger salinity fluctuations occurred, and group b in the lower half of the estuary with a more stable salinity regime. The group b species were further subdivided into those preferring soft mud and those preferring sandier sediments. The group a species were divided into a well-developed oyster association and various sub-groups less strongly associated with oysters. Five principal components were required to account for 50 % of the variance in the data. The first axis accounted for 20 % of the variance and was shown by a nonparametric test to be correlated with the salinity gradient. Axes II to V could not be interpreted, but possibly represented complex species interactions. By providing hard substrates and altering the nature of the sediment, oysters and mussels produced conditions suitable for many o~her species. R.N. HUOHES and M. L. H. TROMAS : Classification and ordination of benthic samples Mar. Biol.