The researchers studied the creatures living in muddy areas of Port Phillip Bay over three years. They found that differences in species and numbers of individuals were mainly due to different locations and years, not seasons. Small patches within the same area also had a big impact on the variety of species. The most common species were a bivalve and a shrimp, with only a few other species found. Changes in the community structure were not tied to seasons and seemed to happen randomly at specific locations. The types of sediment in the area affected the creatures more than the water quality. Overall, the community of creatures in the muddy areas showed a lot of variation over time.