Spatial and Temporal Variation of Marginopora vertebralis on Seagrass in Papua New Guinea during a Six Week Period

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Abstract
A seagrass flat, located on the south coast of Papua New Guinea, supports a large Marginopora vertebralis Quoy and Gaimard population and is subject to periodic subaerial exposure. Seagrass from 25 cm by 25 cm areas at seven stations along a transect on this flat was sampled for living Marginopora during six successive weekly intervals. The size-frequency distribution of Marginopora and the total seagrass area for each sample were computed. There is no correlation between seagrass area and Marginopora density, although there is a maximum number of Marginopora that can inhabit a given area of seagrass. There is no simple relationship between the size-frequency distribution of Marginopora and subaerial exposure, nor is there any systematic change in the distribution across the seagrass bed. Spatial variability is greater then temporal variability for Marginopora when the size scale is on the order of tens of meters and the time scale is on the order of weeks.

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