The macroecological variable of patchiness (Lloyd’s I_p index of patchiness, P) has recently been shown to be related inter- and intraspecifically to those of abundance (numbers m⁻², A), and occupancy (% occurrence in samples, O) in lower latitude seagrass macrofaunas. For the first time in higher latitudes, intraspecific relationships between three spatial variables were investigated in the intertidal mudflat macrobenthos of the Scolt Head barrier island, southern North Sea (53° N, 01° E). Sampling was conducted between early July and late September 2009–2013 using 710-µm mesh for sample processing. Strong positive interspecific A-O and negative interspecific P-O and P-A relationships were present. Two of the most numerous and widespread assemblage components, however, occurred with effectively constant occupancy (Peringia ulvae, 100%, and Tubificoides benedii, 93%) across the whole 20-ha locality and therefore could not show intraspecific relationships of occupancy with other macroecological metrics. These two apart, only one other dominant species failed to show a significant positive intraspecific A-O relationship; no species showed significant P-A relations of any form; and only two showed the negative P-O ones that have been described elsewhere. The intraspecific A-O patterns appear to contrast with those of an earlier study at another North Sea locality (the Dutch Wadden Sea), although differences are more apparent than real, but the Scolt Head fauna showed fewer intraspecific P-O and P-A relations than those characterising similar circumstances in the two lower-latitude localities previously investigated. Neither developmental mode nor variation in local abundance appears to influence these patterns. A-O-P relations therefore seem widespread but may be subject to latitudinal modification.

斑块的宏观生态变量（Lloyd's I _p斑块指数，P）最近已被证明与丰度（数字 m ^-2，A）和占用率（样本中出现的百分比，O）在种间和种内相关。低纬度海草大型动物群。在高纬度地区，首次在北海南部（北纬 53°，东经 01°）的 Scolt Head 屏障岛的潮间带泥滩大型底栖动物中研究了三个空间变量之间的种内关系。采样是在 2009-2013 年 7 月初和 9 月下旬之间进行的，使用 710 微米的筛网进行样品处理。强阳性种间A - O并且存在负的种间P - O和P - A关系。然而，在整个 20 公顷的区域内，数量最多、分布最广的两个组合组件的占用率保持不变（Peringia ulvae 100% 和Tubificoides benedii 93%），因此无法显示占用率与其他宏观生态系统的种内关系指标。这两者分开，只有其他优势种未能表现出显着的种内A - O正相关关系；没有物种表现出任何形式的显着P - A关系；只有两个显示阴性P - O在别处描述过的。种内A - O模式似乎与在另一个北海地区（荷兰瓦登海）进行的早期研究形成对比，尽管差异比实际情况更明显，但 Scolt Head 动物群显示出较少的种内P - O和P - A与先前调查的两个低纬度地区类似情况的关系相比。发展模式和当地丰度的变化似乎都不会影响这些模式。A - O - P 因此，关系似乎很普遍，但可能会发生纬度变化。