Annelid species diversity-sediment relationships

Abstract

Eight grain-size fractions of the sediments were separated in Hakodate Harbor. Both total carbon and total sulfide contents in the sediments were proved to be not relating to particle diversity. Differences in annelid species diversity were attributable to variations in both, species richness and evenness. Species diversity was not correlated with total carbon and total sulfide, but correlated with particle diversity. If particle diversity is explained as showing increased habitat heterogeneity and ingestible food variety, the latter two may regulate the organization of several species assemblages of various feeding- and mobility modes.