Spatial distribution patterns of Littoraria species in Hong Kong mangroves

Abstract

Variation in the abundance and distribution of two species of mangrove littorinid was investigated using a nested sampling design at different spatial scales, in the two dominant seasons, in Hong Kong. The abundance of Littoraria melanostoma, which was less abundant than L. ardouiniana, showed large-scale spatial variation whilst abundance of L. ardouiniana varied on both large and smaller spatial scales and interacted with seasons, indicating that the abundance of this species varied between mangroves in summer and winter. Small-scale variation suggested a patchy distribution of littorinids within a mangrove, whilst the large-scale variation might reflect changes in physical factors possibly associated with habitat fragmentation. Investigation of the vertical distribution of the littorinids on the mangrove trees revealed that L. melanostoma were located at a lower overall level than L. ardouiniana. This zonation pattern may be a result of the morphological differences of the two species, as L. melanostoma has a thick shell, whilst L. ardouiniana has a thinner, but colour polymorphic shell. Both species of mangrove littorinid showed patchy distributions at a variety of scales and these patterns highlight the importance of using a hierarchical sampling approach when investigating spatially fragmented habitats.