Date of Award

Fall 1983

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Biological Sciences

Program/Concentration

Biology

Committee Director

Daniel M. Dauer

Committee Member

J. F. Matta

Committee Member

R. W. Alden, III

Call Number for Print

Special Collections LD4331.B46 B38

Abstract

Acrylic panels were used to follow the development of the fouling community at Channel Points, Lynnhaven Bay, Virginia, from April through October 1979. The roles of Membranipora tenuis, an encrusting ectoproct, and Molgula manhattensis, a solitary tunicate, were studied by removing each species from the developing community on a weekly basis.

Early colonization was dominated by Membranipora followed by Corophium spp. (Amphipoda), Polydora ligni (Polychaeta), and Balanus eberneus (Arthropoda). Molgula colonized the panels later in the study and became a dominant occupier of primary space by the end of the study.

The removal of Membranipora and Molgula had no real significant effects on the development of this community. Because of yearly variation in the recruitment of Membranipora and Molgula, these two species were not as abundant or dominant as they were in 1977 and 1978 (Otsuka and Dauer 1982). Slow recruitment by Molgula until the latter stages of the study and decreased Membranipora recruitment after the initial observations probably reduced their importance to community development. Ineffectual removal of these two species also reduced the effect of these treatments.

Rights

In Copyright. URI: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/ This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).

DOI

10.25777/p1m5-tv39

Download

Share

COinS