HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in ISI Web of Science Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via ISI Web of Science (2) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by von Dassow, M. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by von Dassow, M. Related Collections Development Miscellaneous Invertebrates Biomechanics

Effects of Ambient Flow and Injury on the Morphology of a Fluid Transport System in a Bryozoan

Integrative Biology Department, 3060 VLSB #3140, Berkeley, California 94720-3140

Many organisms use fluid transport systems that are open to the external environment for suspension feeding or gas exchange. How do factors related to the environment, such as injuries and ambient currents, affect remodeling of these systems? In the bryozoan Membranipora membranacea, the lophophores (crowns of ciliated tentacles) form a canopy over the colony. The lophophores pump seawater from above the colony through themselves to capture food particles. The seawater then flows under the canopy to exit the colony at chimneys (openings in the canopy) or at the canopy edge. To test whether either ambient flow speed or injury affects remodeling of this system, I measured changes in chimney size and spacing in colonies grown in flow tanks at different ambient flow speeds, and in colonies in which I killed patches of zooids. There was no effect of either ambient flow speed or injury size on chimney remodeling. Injury did not induce chimney formation. In addition, chimneys formed at the canopy edge, indicating that high pressure under the canopy did not induce chimney formation. These results suggest that ambient flow, injury, and the pressure under the canopy may have little effect on the remodeling of this fluid transport system.

This article has been cited by other articles:

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

				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]