Biol. Bull. Sign up for etocs!
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced]


     

This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Okamura, B.
Right arrow Articles by Partridge, J. C.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow Articles by Okamura, B.
Right arrow Articles by Partridge, J. C.

The Biological Bulletin, Vol 196, Issue 2 205-215, Copyright © 1999 by Marine Biological Laboratory

ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION

Suspension Feeding Adaptations to Extreme Flow Environments in a Marine Bryozoan

B. Okamura and J. C. Partridge
School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Woodland Road, Bristol BS8 IUG, UK

We describe the effects of extreme flow on the growth and morphology of a bryozoan, Membranipora membranacea, encrusting laminarian fronds in the Rapids of Lough Hyne (=Ine), County Cork, Ireland. An ultrasonic current meter was used to characterize ambient flow regimes at the level of the algal canopy over a complete tidal cycle at three sites within the Rapids. Colonies collected from sites exposed to different flows showed a trend towards miniaturization with increased flow: the zooids were less elongate, the lophophores were smaller in diameter and had fewer tentacles, and the distances between excurrent jets were shorter. These morphological changes probably place feeding surfaces into slower flow regimes of the boundary layer. Similar growth rates of colonies at sites differing in flow provide evidence that this miniaturization is adaptive and that bryozoans are capable of adopting appropriate morphological responses to varying environmental regimes. Such plasticity should be considered when assessing feeding from different flow regimes because particular colonies may be adapted to a limited and specific range of flow conditions.


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 Biol. Bull.Home page
M. von Dassow
Function-dependent development in a colonial animal.
Biol. Bull., August 1, 2006; 211(1): 76 - 82.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 J. Exp. Biol.Home page
M. von Dassow
Flow and conduit formation in the external fluid-transport system of a suspension feeder
J. Exp. Biol., August 1, 2005; 208(15): 2931 - 2938.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Biol. Bull.Home page
M. von Dassow
Effects of Ambient Flow and Injury on the Morphology of a Fluid Transport System in a Bryozoan
Biol. Bull., February 1, 2005; 208(1): 47 - 59.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Biol. Bull.Home page
M. C. Pratt
Effect of Zooid Spacing on Bryozoan Feeding Success: Is Competition or Facilitation More Important?
Biol. Bull., August 1, 2004; 207(1): 17 - 27.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
Copyright © 1999 by the Marine Biological Laboratory.