Abstract
The existence of small-scale temporal variation in the distribution of the fauna of marine soft sediments has long been recognised. The implications of this variation have rarely been adequately addressed in studies of changes in the fauna over longer time-scales. Without knowledge of the presence or absence of variation at smaller scales, comparisons across longer time-scales must be confounded. Temporal variation in the distribution of the macrofauna of sediments in Botany Bay, New South Wales, Australia, is described using a nested, hierarchical sampling design. Significant variation was found at temporal scales from days to months. Implications of short-term variation for environmental sampling and monitoring, and the means of overcoming associated problems, are discussed. The conclusions of the present study are applicable to studies of other variables, such as pollutants.
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