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Journal Molluscan Studies Advance Access originally published online on November 4, 2005
Journal of Molluscan Studies 2006 72(2):149-156; doi:10.1093/mollus/eyi059
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© The Author 2006. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Malacological Society of London, all rights reserved

FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO SPATIAL HETEROGENEITY IN THE ABUNDANCE OF THE COMMON PERIWINKLE LITTORINA LITTOREA (L.)

ROSE L. CARLSON1, MYRA J. SHULMAN2 and JULIE C. ELLIS3

1Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Corson Hall, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA; Present address: Center for Population Biology, Section of Evolution and Ecology, University of California, Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA; 2Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Corson Hall, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA; and 3Shoals Marine Laboratory, Cornell University, G-14 Stimson Hall, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA

Correspondence: R.L. Carlson; e-mail: rlcarlson{at}ucdavis.edu

Although Littorina littorea (L.) exhibits a relatively consistent pattern of vertical distribution throughout the North Atlantic, ranging from the mid-intertidal to the shallow subtidal zone, its horizontal distribution and abundance are highly variable. In this study, we first described the snail's horizontal distribution patterns on Appledore Island, ME, USA and then asked whether wave exposure, rugosity, predator density (e.g. Carcinus maenas and Cancer borealis), the percentage of the substrate covered by Ascophyllum nodosum, Chondrus crispus, Polysiphonia spp., and ephemeral green algae, or the percentage of uncovered substrate (bare rock) were correlated with L. littorea abundance in the intertidal zone (0.6 to 0.0 m relative to Mean Lower Low Water [MLLW]) and the shallow subtidal zone (–1.5 to –3.0 m MLLW) at nine study sites. Intertidal densities of L. littorea were highly variable across sites, ranging from 0 to >600 m–2. In this zone, L. littorea density showed a significant positive correlation with rugosity and percentage of bare rock. Densities were very low in the subtidal zone (range: 0–19 m–2) and varied little among sites. Exploratory multiple regression analysis suggested that L. littorea density was positively correlated with the density of C. maenas in the shallow subtidal zone. Additionally, snails in the subtidal zone had thicker shells than snails of the same size in the intertidal zone. Our results suggest that structural elements of the habitat, such as rugosity and percentage of uncovered substrate, are among the most important predictors of L. littorea abundance on moderately protected, rocky intertidal shores.

(Received 9 February 2005; accepted 10 August 2005)


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