Polychaete Ecology and Niche Patterns: Texas Continental Shelf

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Abstract
South Texas continental shelf benthic polychaetes were studied over 2 yr to characterize their ecological patterns. Polychaetes are the dominant infauna of this shelf environment, comprising 74% of all infaunal abundance. The 14 polychaete species [Litocorsa stremma, Nereis micromma, Lumbrineris verrilli, Paraprionospio pinnata, Prionospio steenstrupi, Spiophanes bombyx, Magelona pettiboneae, M. phyllisae, Tharyx spp., Cossura delta, Aricidea taylori, Paraonides lyra, Mediomastus californiensis and Owenia fusiformis] studied illustrated distinct niche patterns based upon their various preferences mainly for certain sediment types and less for the degree of bottom water environmental stability. Some of those species shown through multivariate discriminant analysis to still prefer similar habitats had their specific niche properties further defined through classification into certain feeding strategies that these polychaetes are assumed to exhibit. Through this exercise of combining environmental data with species occurrences and the behavioral characteristics of these species, the abundant infaunal polychaete species of the south Texas shelf were found to exhibit niche structures that contribute considerable information concerning the roles of these species in the benthic community. These species could be classified as either generalists or specialists within their habitat.