Negative effects of sediment deposition on grazing
activity and survival of the limpet Patella vulgata
Negative effects of sediment deposition on grazing
activity and survival of the limpet Patella vulgata
Sediments are likely to influence the distribution of limpets and dominant sessile species
on intertidal rocky shores by smothering and interfering with feeding activity. This hypothesis
was tested by field observations and laboratory experiments in which the effects of different amounts
and grain sizes of sediments on the grazing and survival of the limpet Patella vulgata L. were measured.
On rocky shores close to Plymouth (south-west UK), natural patchiness of sediment deposits
was related to the distribution of P. vulgata and macroalgae. Sediments severely impaired P. vulgata.
Even a ~1 mm thick layer of sediment (equivalent to 50 mg cm–2) decreased grazing activity by 35%,
with total inhibition and mortality at loads of 200 mg cm–2 of fine sediments. Coarse sediments had
less severe effects than fine sediments.
Sedimentation, Grazing, Patella vulgata, Grain size, Rocky shores
235-240
Airoldi, Laura
fca75828-1c89-4e78-838f-ea6e952dff5e
Hawkins, Stephen J.
758fe1c1-30cd-4ed1-bb65-2471dc7c11fa
5 March 2007
Airoldi, Laura
fca75828-1c89-4e78-838f-ea6e952dff5e
Hawkins, Stephen J.
758fe1c1-30cd-4ed1-bb65-2471dc7c11fa
Airoldi, Laura and Hawkins, Stephen J.
(2007)
Negative effects of sediment deposition on grazing
activity and survival of the limpet Patella vulgata.
Marine Ecology Progress Series, 332, .
(doi:10.3354/meps).
Abstract
Sediments are likely to influence the distribution of limpets and dominant sessile species
on intertidal rocky shores by smothering and interfering with feeding activity. This hypothesis
was tested by field observations and laboratory experiments in which the effects of different amounts
and grain sizes of sediments on the grazing and survival of the limpet Patella vulgata L. were measured.
On rocky shores close to Plymouth (south-west UK), natural patchiness of sediment deposits
was related to the distribution of P. vulgata and macroalgae. Sediments severely impaired P. vulgata.
Even a ~1 mm thick layer of sediment (equivalent to 50 mg cm–2) decreased grazing activity by 35%,
with total inhibition and mortality at loads of 200 mg cm–2 of fine sediments. Coarse sediments had
less severe effects than fine sediments.
Text
Airoldi_Hawkins_2007_MEPS.pdf
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Published date: 5 March 2007
Keywords:
Sedimentation, Grazing, Patella vulgata, Grain size, Rocky shores
Organisations:
Ocean and Earth Science
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 188125
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/188125
PURE UUID: 48c0fec6-ab38-4957-b878-50d3ebf1a388
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Date deposited: 20 May 2011 10:56
Last modified: 14 Mar 2024 03:29
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Author:
Laura Airoldi
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