Date of Award

1977

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Ocean & Earth Sciences

Program/Concentration

Oceanography

Committee Director

Ray S. Birdsong

Committee Member

Ronald E. Johnson

Committee Member

Anthony J. Provenzano, Jr.

Committee Member

John Merriner

Call Number for Print

Special Collections LD4331.O35 C44

Abstract

The feeding ecology of the black sea bass, Centropristis striata, associated with artificial reefs shows seasonal and size-related changes. Monthly collections totaling 520 black sea bass taken from an artificial reef near the Chesapeake Light Tower, Virginia, between August 1975 and May 1976, were analyzed for food habits as revealed by number, volume, frequency of occurrence and a modified Index of Relative Importance.

The black sea bass feeds on the artificial reef as well as the adjacent areas. When food was abundant on the reef, food items from the reef and the surrounding area were consumed. Upon depletion of the food resource on the reef, the black sea bass resorted to feeding primarily from the areas adjacent to the artificial reef. The four overall predominant foods were Ensis directus (IRI'=910), Pagurus spp. (IRI'=7299), Cancer irroratus (IRI'=601) and Mytilus edulis (IRI'=332). The feeding ecology of the black sea bass on the artificial reef suggests that they are attracted to the reef primarily because of the shelter that the reef affords.

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DOI

10.25777/5dcv-dg13

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