Abstract
A study of the spatial distribution of 3 species of nereid polychaetes (Nereis wrens N d~verslcolorand N succjnea) was conducted during fall 1991 in Danish estuarine waters Results from fleld data (Kertemlnde Fjord/Kertlnge Nor and Norsminde Fiord) suggested that pore water sulfide (HS-) acts on the dlstnbution of these species N virens was conflned to low-sulfidic areas (<50 uM) while N succ~nea was found in hlgh-sulfldic sedlnlents (from 50 to 2000 PM) N diverslcolor on the other hand, showed a broader distrlbutlon w ~ t h respect to pore water sulflde Complementary tank experiments Indicated that all 3 specles preferred non-sulfid~c sediments In allopatry, whereas N diversicolor was excluded from the non-sulfldlc compartment of tanks In sympatry with each of the other 2 species Mortality rates Indicated that N virens was the least sulfide-tolerant species whereas the other species showed some sort of adaptation with respect to pore water sulfide Tank expenments and coexistence coefficients from field data indicated that interspecific competltlon IS an important determinant of nereid dlstnbution patterns particularly for populations of N diversicolor Field data and results from laboratory tank experiments suggest that N succlnea is closely associated wlth mussel beds
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