New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research abstracts

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SUCCESSION OF A WHARF-PILE FAUNA AT LYTTELTON, NEW ZEALAND

Gary C. B. Poore

Department of Zoology, University of Canterbury, Christchurch

Abstract A 31-year succession of wharf-pile fauna is described from communities of different known ages on piles at Lyttelton, New Zealand. Intertidal regions of the piles were initially colonised by the barnacle Elminius modestus; these populations developed to form a subclimax community which was subsequently replaced by a climax community of the mussel Modiolus neozelanicus after 2-j years. The stability of this climax is discussed. In the infratidal region initial settlement of the tubicolous amphipod Corophium acherusicum and an erect bryozoan Bugula sp. was followed after 5 months by colonisation by solitary tunicates. These tunicates became dominant only after H years and provided numerous niches for superficial foulers, crevice dwellers, and motile organisms. This succession is compared and contrasted with a terrestrial succession of plants. Four vertical zones were recognised: supralittoral zone, midlittoral zone, in-fralittoral fringe, and infralittoral zone. Species additional to those recorded by Skerman (1958) are appended.

N.Z. Jl mar. Freshwat. Res. 2: 577-90.
(Received for publication 9 February 1968)

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