Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Dispersal Dynamics In A Wind-Driven Benthic System, John A. Commito, S. F. Thrush, R. D. Pridmore, J. E. Hewitt, V. J. Cummings

Environmental Studies Faculty Publications

Bedload and water column traps were used with simultaneous wind and water velocity measurements to study postlarval macrofaunal dispersal dynamics in Manukau Harbour, New Zealand. A 12-fold range in mean wind condition resulted in large differences in water flow (12-fold), sediment flux (285-fold), and trap collection of total number of individuals (95-fold), number of the dominant infaunal organism (84-fold for the bivalve Macomona liliana), and number of species (4-fold). There were very strong, positive relationships among wind condition, water velocity, sediment flux, and postlarval dispersal, especially in the bedload. Local density in the ambient sediment was not a good predictor …