TY - JOUR
T1 - Aerial exposure and energy input in the bivalve Choromytilus meridionalis (Kr.)
AU - Griffiths, Roberta J.
AU - Buffenstein, Rochelle
N1 - Funding Information:
Miss F. J. Stratton is thanked for technical assistancea nd Professor R. C. Newell for constructive criticism of the manuscript. This work was supported as part of the Kelp Bed Research Programme by the South African National Committee for Oceanographic Research.
PY - 1981/5/25
Y1 - 1981/5/25
N2 - The effects of aerial exposure on growth, filtration, and assimilation were examined in Choromytilus meridionalis (Kr.) from Bailey's Cottage, False Bay, South Africa. The maximum height at which these mussels occur on the shore corresponds to 50% aerial exposure. Growth rates declined with increasing shore height. The relationships between flesh and shell dry weight and shell length were not significantly different in littoral and sublittoral mussels. Littoral mussels did not show enhanced filtration rates or assimilation efficiencies relative to continually submerged individuals. Thus, littoral mussels experience a decline in ingestion ration which is directly correlated with increasing shore height. Under conditions of limited food availability littoral organisms frequently employ conservative mechanisms to limit energy expenditure. In C. meridionalis this is evidenced by limitation of the growth rate. Energy conservation may also be facilitated by quiescence and reduced respiratory cost during exposure. This requires investigation.
AB - The effects of aerial exposure on growth, filtration, and assimilation were examined in Choromytilus meridionalis (Kr.) from Bailey's Cottage, False Bay, South Africa. The maximum height at which these mussels occur on the shore corresponds to 50% aerial exposure. Growth rates declined with increasing shore height. The relationships between flesh and shell dry weight and shell length were not significantly different in littoral and sublittoral mussels. Littoral mussels did not show enhanced filtration rates or assimilation efficiencies relative to continually submerged individuals. Thus, littoral mussels experience a decline in ingestion ration which is directly correlated with increasing shore height. Under conditions of limited food availability littoral organisms frequently employ conservative mechanisms to limit energy expenditure. In C. meridionalis this is evidenced by limitation of the growth rate. Energy conservation may also be facilitated by quiescence and reduced respiratory cost during exposure. This requires investigation.
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U2 - 10.1016/0022-0981(81)90038-1
DO - 10.1016/0022-0981(81)90038-1
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:0000021728
VL - 52
SP - 219
EP - 229
JO - Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology
JF - Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology
SN - 0022-0981
IS - 2-3
ER -