Temporal variations in community structure in and around intertidal barnacle (Chthamalus challengeri Hoek) patches on a plebby shore in Japan

Abstract

The community structure in and around two barnacle (Chthamalus challengeri Hoek) patches (sites A and B) which extended from the middle to the upper intertidal zone on a pebbly shore in Magarisaki (Amakusa, Kyushu, Japan), was studied during summer and winter of 1995 and 1996. The results show a significant decrease in the proportion of substrate covered by barnacles from January 1995 to July 1996. The number of species, number of individuals, and biomass also decreased in the patch areas through time. There were significant differences between inside and outside the patches for percentage of substrate covered by barnacles, number of individuals, number of species, and biomass during the first year. Numbers of some gastropods were significantly higher in the barnacle patches, suggesting that the presence of barnacles create favorable microhabitat for the other taxa.