The relationship between benthic fauna and sediments of the Nags Head and Wilmington areas inner continental shelf, North Carolina / by George H. Wood.
| Author/creator | Wood, George H. author. |
| Other author | Bellis, Vincent J., 1938- degree supervisor. |
| Other author | East Carolina University. Department of Biology. |
| Format | Theses and dissertations |
| Production | 1983. |
| Description | vi, 70 leaves : illustrations, maps ; 28 cm |
| Supplemental Content | Access via ScholarShip |
| Subjects |
| Summary | Biological and geological samples were taken from 39 stations between July 22 and August 25, 1978 to formulate an understanding of the ecological causality for the distribution of marine fauna of the inner continental shelf off Dare and New Hanover counties, North Carolina. Sander's (1958) approach to community ecology which emphasizes the relationship between sediment character and the distribution of benthic faunal feeding strategies was employed in this study because the two distinct marine climates within the study area were known to exhibit differing taxonomic composition. The three feeding modes recognized were: (1) suspension feeders; organisms that collect organics suspended in the surrounding water, (2) deposit feeders; organisms which consume organics deposited on or in the substate and, (3) raptorial feeders; organisms which seize and devour living prey. A distinction was made between two types of deposit feeders which are specific deposit feeders; organisms selective of the organic component in the substrate and nonspecific deposit feeders; organisms which ingest their substrate, digesting the organics and excreting the inorganic fraction. Analysis indicated that there is a relationship between the distribution of sediments and marine benthic fauna according to topography. Topographic lows are protected environments which accumulate deposits of fine sediment and gravel. Dominance by deposit feeders in topographic lows indicate the availability of detrital deposits. As suggested by Woodin (1974), physical instability in this environment may cause stress for suspension feeders by clogging their feeding structures, burying newly settled larvae and limiting individual organism's ability to maintain a firm connection with the substrate. Topographic plains are exposed to occasional bottom currents which results in moderately sorted fine to very fine sands and an increase in frequency of suspension feeders. The high frequency of deposit feeders in the Nags Head study area may indicate the heterogeneity of environments and may suggest that mobility of deposit feeders enables them to migrate to topographic plains in order to utilize an additional food source. Topographic highs are exposed to direct impact of bottom currents which results in moderately well sorted medium to fine sands. This environment supplies suspension feeding assemblages with an adequate and constant influx of suspended food. The occurrence of deposit feeders in this environment suggests the ability of deposit feeders to utilize a variety of environments and their use of specialized appendages to select organic detritus from the inorganic fraction. Because of the physical processes of the inner continental shelf of North Carolina, organics and clays are not deposited in great quantities, thus the importance of these sediments is diminished in regulating the distribution of deposit feeders. |
| General note | "Presented to the faculty of the Department of Biology ... in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Master of Science in Biology." |
| General note | Advisor: Vincent J. Bellis |
| Dissertation note | M.S. East Carolina University 1983 |
| Bibliography note | Includes bibliographical references (leaves 41-44). |
| Genre/form | Academic theses. |
| Genre/form | Academic theses. |
| Genre/form | Thèses et écrits académiques. |