ABSTRACT
The distribution of organisms in aquatic systems is strongly influenced by feeding preferences. Ontogenetic shifts in diet define habitat needs as each species follows relatively conservative morphological and physiological transitions. Consequently, the trophic needs of a given species may vary considerably in time, leading to a close connection between habitat variables and related prey distributions. Livingston (1987b) outlined the spatial/temporal scaling problems associated with the definition of population and community variability in dynamic coastal ecosystems. There are families of spatial and temporal scaling phenomena that define interspecific trophic interactions. The dimensions of variation change along spatial/temporal gradients of salinity, habitat complexity, and productivity with different responses at different levels of trophic organization. There is thus a continuum of scaling dimensions that defines the population distributions in coastal systems.
