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183 



Other variables such as salinity, the abundance 

 of benthic organisms, mean sediment size, as well 

 as the proximate location of other essential habi- 

 tats (e.g. estuaries), were correlated to distance off- 

 shore and depth and are thus possible contributors 

 to observed habitat preferences. It is doubtful that 



a species would prefer habitat based on distance off- 

 shore or depth alone because both variables are spa- 

 tial indices and as such, they can have no direct 

 effect on habitat quality. The indirect effects of these 

 spatial variables on habitat quality may be associ- 

 ated with how they correlate with the distribution of 



