Ontogenetic Changes in Trophic and Competitive Relationshipsand their Control of the Development of Benthic Communities

紧随变形和定居之后的时间 对于它们能否成为 现有的社区。 由于其体积小， 简单的形态，青少年忍受更激烈的互动 拥有更广泛的物种。 此外， 物种之间的生态关系会发生变化， 生活史阶段和这些研究的重要性之间的关系 将集中在解决和少年阶段的7个优势 沿着 新英格兰南部海岸。 选择的研究中心显示 幼虫的极端（1至2个数量级）差异 每个人都有一个独特的优势物种。 将进行实验，以测试捕食过程， 招募，即幼虫定居和检查的差异 关系是如何随着生命阶段而变化的。 任何人的重要性 在青少年生活史阶段发生的事件将是 根据幼虫定居期间发生的现象来判断 在成人社区中。

The time immediately following the metamorphosis and settlement of benthic organisms is critical to their ability to become part of the existing community. Because of their small size and simpler morphology, juveniles endure more intense interactions with a wider spectrum of species. In addition, tremendous changes in the ecological relationships between species can occur between life-history stages and the importance of these study will focus on the settling and juvenile stages of 7 dominant species within subtidal marine epifaunal communities along the coast of southern New England. The study sites chosen exhibit extreme (1 to 2 orders of Magnitude) differences in larval settlement, and each has a distinct group of dominant species. Experiments will be conducted to test processes that predation to recruitment, i.e. differences in larval settlement and examine how relationships change with life-stage. The importance of any event occurring during juvenile life-history stages will be judged relative to phenomena occurring during larval settlement and within the adult community.