Space versus other limiting resources for a colonial tunicate, Botrylloides leachii (Savigny), on fouling plates

To examine the possible importance of limiting factors other than space for fouling organisms, a fouling panel study was carried out in Eel Pond, Woods Hole, Massachusetts, USA. The growth rate of the colonial tunicate Botrylloides leachii (Savigny) alone on fouling plates was significantly higher (...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of experimental marine biology and ecology 1990-01, Vol.141 (1), p.47-52
Main Author: Myers, Philip E.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animal and plant ecology
Animal, plant and microbial ecology
Biological and medical sciences
Botrylloides
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Hard substratum
Limiting resource
Marine
Tunicata
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Summary:To examine the possible importance of limiting factors other than space for fouling organisms, a fouling panel study was carried out in Eel Pond, Woods Hole, Massachusetts, USA. The growth rate of the colonial tunicate Botrylloides leachii (Savigny) alone on fouling plates was significantly higher ( P < 0.05) than an unmodified treatment (control) and a treatment in which a 2-mm zone was cleared around the Botrylloides colonies to eliminate space competition. Isolated Botrylloides also had a significantly higher growth rate than a treatment in which all organisms except the colonial tunicate Botryllus schlosseri (Pallas) were eliminated. The results indicate that limiting resources other than space can be important in this group of fouling organisms.
ISSN:0022-0981
1879-1697
DOI:10.1016/0022-0981(90)90156-7