ECOLOGICAL STUDIES AT LOUGH INE
289
species and for records of environmental conditions extending over a
number of years. It seems likely that another important feature contributing to the overall stability of the Paracentrotus and other communities is the existence of limited sites safe for otherwise susceptible
species, from which repopulation of contested areas can occur from
time to time.
Finally, we must not expect to interpret the composition of benthic
communities in terms of interactions involving only post-larval benthic
stages. Larval mortality both in the pelagic phase and during settlement can be very high (Thorson, 1964, 1966), although in some cases
there may be more than enough larvae to saturate a surface (Connell,
1959). Additional knowledge is also needed of the behaviour of larvae
before and during settlement. We do not yet know to what extent there
are topographical or annual differences in the survival and settlement
of larvae, which could account for local or temporal differences in the
composition of the benthic flora and fauna of the shallow sublittoral
region of Lough Ine.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
Diagrams which have previously appea.red in our papers in the
Journal of Ecology and the Journal of Animal Ecology are reproduced
by the kind permission of the Editors and of Blackwell Scientific
Publications.
REFERENCES
Ambuhl, H. (1959). Schweiz. 2. Hydrol. 21,133-264. Die Bedentung der Stromung
als okologischer Faktor.
Bassindale, R., Ebling, F. J., Kitching, J. A. and Purchon, R. D. (1948). J . Ecol.
36, 305-322. The ecology of the Lough I n e Rapids with special reference to
water currents. I. Introduction and hydrography.
Bassindale, R., Davenport, E., Ebling, F. J., Kitching, J. A., Sleigh, M. A. and
Sloane, J. F. (1957). J. Ecol. 45, 879-900. The ecology of the Lough Ine
Rapids with special reference to water currents. VI. Effects of the Rapids on
the hydrography of the South Basin.
Battaglia, B. (1965). Advances and problems of ecological genetics in marine
animals. I n “Genetics Today”, Vol. 11, 451463. (S. J. Cfeerts, ed.) Oxford:
Pergamon Press.
Brian, M. V. and Owen, G. (1962). J . Anim. Ecol. 21, 241-249. The relation of the
radula fraction to environment in Patella.
Connell, J. H. (1959). Studies of some factors affecting the recruitment and
mortality of natural populations of intertidal barnacles: I n “Marine Boring
and Fowling Organisms”, 226-233. (D. L. Ray, ed.) Univ. Washington Press,
Seattle.
K*
289
species and for records of environmental conditions extending over a
number of years. It seems likely that another important feature contributing to the overall stability of the Paracentrotus and other communities is the existence of limited sites safe for otherwise susceptible
species, from which repopulation of contested areas can occur from
time to time.
Finally, we must not expect to interpret the composition of benthic
communities in terms of interactions involving only post-larval benthic
stages. Larval mortality both in the pelagic phase and during settlement can be very high (Thorson, 1964, 1966), although in some cases
there may be more than enough larvae to saturate a surface (Connell,
1959). Additional knowledge is also needed of the behaviour of larvae
before and during settlement. We do not yet know to what extent there
are topographical or annual differences in the survival and settlement
of larvae, which could account for local or temporal differences in the
composition of the benthic flora and fauna of the shallow sublittoral
region of Lough Ine.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
Diagrams which have previously appea.red in our papers in the
Journal of Ecology and the Journal of Animal Ecology are reproduced
by the kind permission of the Editors and of Blackwell Scientific
Publications.
REFERENCES
Ambuhl, H. (1959). Schweiz. 2. Hydrol. 21,133-264. Die Bedentung der Stromung
als okologischer Faktor.
Bassindale, R., Ebling, F. J., Kitching, J. A. and Purchon, R. D. (1948). J . Ecol.
36, 305-322. The ecology of the Lough I n e Rapids with special reference to
water currents. I. Introduction and hydrography.
Bassindale, R., Davenport, E., Ebling, F. J., Kitching, J. A., Sleigh, M. A. and
Sloane, J. F. (1957). J. Ecol. 45, 879-900. The ecology of the Lough Ine
Rapids with special reference to water currents. VI. Effects of the Rapids on
the hydrography of the South Basin.
Battaglia, B. (1965). Advances and problems of ecological genetics in marine
animals. I n “Genetics Today”, Vol. 11, 451463. (S. J. Cfeerts, ed.) Oxford:
Pergamon Press.
Brian, M. V. and Owen, G. (1962). J . Anim. Ecol. 21, 241-249. The relation of the
radula fraction to environment in Patella.
Connell, J. H. (1959). Studies of some factors affecting the recruitment and
mortality of natural populations of intertidal barnacles: I n “Marine Boring
and Fowling Organisms”, 226-233. (D. L. Ray, ed.) Univ. Washington Press,
Seattle.
K*