310
S.P. Thrush and R.B. Whitlach
14.7 Searching for Generality Part III: The Need
To Improve the Information Base
Simply describing the role of processes operating over broad scales may not
increase the predictive power of population and community ecology; formal
statistical analyses and testing of concepts and predictions are necessary. The
most rigorous empirical syntheses can be achieved by formal meta-analysis
based on experiments of identical design conducted at different locations in
space and/or time, combined with measurements of key environmental parameters that are likely to constrain local biotic interactions. Unless the appropriate co-variables have been measured, we cannot explain what is causing
variation in effects from place to place. This limits our ability to make broadscale predictions about the relative importance of local ecological processes.
We have identified a number of variables (Table 14.1) that can be factored into
the design of a broad-scale comparative assessment of variation in macrobenthic succession dependent on location.
Understanding natural history is essential, especially when the variability
in ecological structure and function can be directly or indirectly ascribed to
small-scale processes. We have placed particular emphasis on the importance
of mobility and local pools of potential colonists as critical factors influencing
variability in response between locations. Generally, however, we lack fundamental data on many intrinsic factors (e. g., within-patch demographics, habitat selectivity or sediment geotechnical characteristics) or how they interact
with broader scale processes. While single studies may provide examples of
possible mechanisms it is difficult to assess their generality. Careful consideration of the balance between gaining more detailed information versus
more general information is always necessary. A coherent programme of the
assessment of macrobenthic succession that assesses the relative importance
of the intrinsic and extrinsic processes outlined in Table 14.1 could provide
important resources enabling us to improve our ability to predict recovery
and document chronic degradative change within estuarine and coastal ecosystems.
14.8 Conclusions
Natural disturbance events frequently playa central role in influencing spatial
and temporal variation in the structure and function of benthic communities.
The development of a patch-dynamic conceptual framework for macrobenthic communities has been aided by manipulative disturbance/recovery
experiments. Manipulative experiments are also often used to help under-
S.P. Thrush and R.B. Whitlach
14.7 Searching for Generality Part III: The Need
To Improve the Information Base
Simply describing the role of processes operating over broad scales may not
increase the predictive power of population and community ecology; formal
statistical analyses and testing of concepts and predictions are necessary. The
most rigorous empirical syntheses can be achieved by formal meta-analysis
based on experiments of identical design conducted at different locations in
space and/or time, combined with measurements of key environmental parameters that are likely to constrain local biotic interactions. Unless the appropriate co-variables have been measured, we cannot explain what is causing
variation in effects from place to place. This limits our ability to make broadscale predictions about the relative importance of local ecological processes.
We have identified a number of variables (Table 14.1) that can be factored into
the design of a broad-scale comparative assessment of variation in macrobenthic succession dependent on location.
Understanding natural history is essential, especially when the variability
in ecological structure and function can be directly or indirectly ascribed to
small-scale processes. We have placed particular emphasis on the importance
of mobility and local pools of potential colonists as critical factors influencing
variability in response between locations. Generally, however, we lack fundamental data on many intrinsic factors (e. g., within-patch demographics, habitat selectivity or sediment geotechnical characteristics) or how they interact
with broader scale processes. While single studies may provide examples of
possible mechanisms it is difficult to assess their generality. Careful consideration of the balance between gaining more detailed information versus
more general information is always necessary. A coherent programme of the
assessment of macrobenthic succession that assesses the relative importance
of the intrinsic and extrinsic processes outlined in Table 14.1 could provide
important resources enabling us to improve our ability to predict recovery
and document chronic degradative change within estuarine and coastal ecosystems.
14.8 Conclusions
Natural disturbance events frequently playa central role in influencing spatial
and temporal variation in the structure and function of benthic communities.
The development of a patch-dynamic conceptual framework for macrobenthic communities has been aided by manipulative disturbance/recovery
experiments. Manipulative experiments are also often used to help under-