Diversity Measurement of Intertidal Macrobenthic Communities In Cullercoats Bay, North Sea, England

Diversity assessment has become the focus in ecological studies, and hitherto the matter has been concerned. Methods used for measuring diversity may affect the result significantly. To estimate the effects of spatial scale on sampling for diversity assessment on intertidal rocky shores, a nested series of quadrate sizes were employed from 0.25 m2 to 75 m2 within a 300 m2 plot at Cullercoats Bay in North Sea, England. Data were collected in the summer of 1994 and 1995. Four major patterns emerged from the results of this study. First, Cullercoats Bay consists of a mix of community types and stratified sampling would result in a lower overall estimate of species richness than was actually present. Second, however, stratifying is a useful way of reducing sampling error variance in diversity measures. Third, no simple relationships were apparent between substrate type and diversity. And finally, results were generally seen to be constant between years. Recommendations are also put forward for appropriate sampling methods in this environment.