The Ecology of Lough Ine: VIII. Mussels and Their Predators

Kitching, J. A.; Sloane, J. F.; Ebling, F. J.

doi:10.2307/2087

Cited by 104 publications

(60 citation statements)

References 3 publications

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“…However, it is not possible to entirely distiguish between diel vertical movements and diel variations in activity that do not involve vertical migration. Crangon crangon and Carcinus maenas have both been shown experimentally to be more active nocturnally (Naylor 1958, Kitching et al 1959, Hagerman 1970, Dyer & Uglow 1978, van Donk & de Wilde 1981, and, in underwater television observations in the same area as this study, both species were seen more at night than during the daylight (Burrows et al 1994). In contrast, on a microtidal beach in Sweden, C. crangon were mostly active during the day while C. maenas were nocturnally active, with neither species showing migration (Gibson et al 1998).…”

Section: Die1 Movementsmentioning

confidence: 51%

Distribution, movements and diet of macrocrustaceans on a Scottish sandy beach with particular reference to predation on juvenile fishes

Ansell¹,

Comely²,

Robb³

1999

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

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Shrimp and crabs were sampled by beam trawl over tidal and diel cycles on a sandy beach on the west coast of Scotland in June and August. There were significant positive relationships between depth (0 to 5 m) and numbers of individuals and numbers of species caught. More species and individuals were caught at night than by day, but there was no evidence for the existence of distinct 'day' and 'night' communities. Differences in species composition and numbers caught reflected differences in the mgratory and burying behaviour of individual species. The macrocrustaceans found on this beach are omnivorous predators feeding on a wide range of prey species. Predation by them is one cause of mortality for the populations of juvenile fishes on the beach. Two species, the shrimp Crangon crangon and the shore crab Carcinus maenas, account for most of such predation by macrocrustaceans, which affects both round and flatfish juveniles in varying proportions at different times. In particular, the intensity of predation was generally greatest at night for both species.

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Section: Die1 Movementsmentioning

confidence: 51%

Distribution, movements and diet of macrocrustaceans on a Scottish sandy beach with particular reference to predation on juvenile fishes

Ansell¹,

Comely²,

Robb³

1999

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

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“…Other investigations (e.g. Kitching et al, 1959;Elner, 1978;Elner & Hughes, 1978) have also demonstrated the importance of Carcinus for the community structure in the lower intertidal. Following Suchanek (1985) they are a decisive factor in controlling the lower limits of distribution of mussel beds.…”

Section: Predationmentioning

confidence: 82%

Biological interactions and their role in community structure in the rocky intertidal of Helgoland (German Bight, North Sea)

Janke

1990

Helgolander Meeresunters

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Over 3 successive seasonal cycles (April 1986 to October 1988, field experiments were established within 3 intertidal levels in the sheltered rocky intertidal of Helgoland (North Sea, German Bight). Competitors for space (A4ytilus edulis, macroalgae), herbivores (iittorina spp.) and predators (Carcinus maenas) were either excluded from areas (0.25 m 2) covered by undisturbed communities or enclosed at natural densities on areas that were cleared before of animals and plants. All the experimental fields (each 0.25 m 2) were covered by cages with 4 mm gauze at the sides and a plexiglas top. The results of the experiments in the u p p e r i n t e r t i d a 1 (occupied by Littorina spp. and Enteromorpha) showed that a natural density of herbivores could not prevent algal settlement and had only little influence on algal growth. Instead, abiotic factors (storms, algae washed ashore) decreased the stock of the green algae. Experiments in the m i d i n t e r t i d a 1, dominated by Myfilus (50 % cover), Fucus spp. (20 %) and grazing L. littorea (100 ind. m -2) showed that community structure was directly changed both by grazing periwinkles and by competition for space between mussels and macroalgae. Whenever Littorina was excluded, the canopy of Fucus spp. increased continuously and reached total cover within two years. In addition to the increase of Fucus spp., the rock surface and the mussel shells were overgrown by Ulva pseudocurvata, which covered the experimental fields during parts of the summer in the absence of herbivores. As soon as perennial species (fucoids) covered most of the experimental areas, the seasonal growth of Ulva decreased drastically. Presence and growth of macroalgae were also controlled by serious competition for space with mussels. Established Nfytilus prevented the growth of all perennial and ephemeral algae on the rocks. However, the shells of the mussels provided free space for a new settlement of Fucus and Ulva. In the 1 o w e r i n t e r t i d a I (dominated by total algal cover of it:. serratus, herbivores such as L. littorea and L. mariae, and increasing number of predators such as Carcinus), the feeding activity of herbivores can neither prevent the settlement of the fucoid sporelings nor reduce the growth of macroalgae. F. serratus achieved a total canopy on the rock within one year. Doubled density of herbivores prevented the settlement of Pucus and most of the undercover algae. Predation by Carcinus on Littorina spp. had little influence on the herbivore community patterns. However, the crabs supported the establishment of macroalgae by excluding the mussels from the lower intertidal. In summary, the community organization and maintenance in the mid and lower intertidal is influenced to a high degree by biological interactions. Whereas both the relatively important herbivory by L. littorea and competition for space between mussels and macroalgae dominate in the mid intertidal, predation reaches it s highest relative degree of importance for community structure in the lowe...

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“…Stephens and Bertness (1991), Lohse (1993) Seed (1996) Lubchenco (1978Lubchenco ( , 1980Lubchenco ( , 1983, references in Lubchenco and Gaines (1981), Keser and Larsen (1984), Miller and Vadas (1984), Petraitis (1987), Chapman and Johnson (1990), Parker et al (1993), Parker and Chapman (1994), Bertness et al (2004), Jones (1948), Southward and Southward (1978), Hawkins (1981), Hartnoll and Hawkins (1985), Janke (1990) Menge (1976Menge ( , 1978, Lubchenco (1978Lubchenco ( , 1983, Lubchenco and Menge (1978), Peterson (1979), Edwards et al (1982), Pretaitis (1987), Chapman and Johnson (1990), Guillemette et al (1992), Wooton (1993), Hamilton (2000), Bertness et al (2004) Kitching et al (1959, 1966, Connell (1961a, b), Elner and Hughes (1978), Janke (1990), Raffaelli et al (1990), Alerstam et al (1992), …”

Section: Mytilusmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Carcinus maenas is an opportunistic scavenger and predator; in the rocky intertidal it is an important predator of mussels (e.g., Elner and Hughes 1978), dogwhelks (Kitching et al 1966), and littorinids (Janke 1990) and also preys on barnacles (Burrows et al 1999) and limpets (Griffin et al 2008). While it has important direct effects, particularly on mussel abundance, on both the east (Kitching et al 1959) and west sides of the Atlantic (Peterson 1979, Bertness et al 2004) it is through indirect effects that differences between Europe and America may be found. It has been hypothesized that, in the western Atlantic, C. maenas has an important positive indirect effect on algal populations through predation of Littorina littorea (Lubchenco 1978(Lubchenco , 1983) and on barnacle populations through predation of dogwhelks.…”

Section: Predationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Comparative Ecology of North Atlantic Shores: Do Differences in Players Matter for Process?

Jenkins

Moore

Burrows

et al. 2008

Ecology

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Abstract. The contrasting histories of the western and eastern shores of the North Atlantic Ocean provide an excellent opportunity to consider the implications of past events for present ecological processes and the functioning of marine ecosystems. Similarities and differences in assemblage composition have been driven by large-scale events, such as the trans-Arctic interchange, which has shaped the species pool, and cycles of glaciation, which have determined phases of local or regional extinction and colonization. More recently, anthropogenically induced invasions and local extinctions have significantly altered biogeographic distributions. Here we consider for both hard and soft substrata how the presence or absence of key taxa influences the outcomes of trophic and other biological interactions, and evaluate the consequences for community structure and ecosystem functioning. On intertidal hard substratum shores, biodiversity of epilithic microphagous grazers differs across latitudinal and longitudinal scales. Diversity is high in southern Europe but declines to the north and across the Atlantic. Lower diversity and the absence of patellid limpets in Iceland and the northwest Atlantic compared to Europe result in differences in consumer pressure, and an apparent contrast in the importance of herbivory vs. competitive interactions and predation pressure as community structuring processes. Interestingly, despite differences in ''process,'' community patterns are remarkably similar between the east and west. On soft sediment shores, there are conspicuous geographic differences in importance of bioturbators and large digging predators. Hemichordates can be abundant and important infaunal bioturbators in the western Atlantic, but they generally play a much reduced role in the eastern Atlantic. In addition, the number and diversity of digging predators on western Atlantic shores is high; the horseshoe crab, swimming portunid crabs, large whelks, excavating waterfowl, and an abundance of skates and rays exert intense predation pressure and associated biogenic disturbance to sediments. In Europe, except for excavating waterfowl these taxa are rare or absent. Thus, the importance of large, biological agents of disturbance is lower on European shores as a consequence of both recent anthropogenic pressure and natural processes over larger time scales. Consideration of key structuring taxa over the Atlantic shows that human-mediated transport has had considerable influence. Faunas on both sides of the Atlantic are becoming more similar to the point that some of the key differences in assemblage composition and hence community organization have blurred. Recent introductions as well as planned experimental manipulations provide the opportunity to understand the role of species identity in determining community structure and ecosystem functioning over large spatial scales; the North Atlantic may be an ideal test system to explore these areas.

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The Ecology of Lough Ine: VIII. Mussels and Their Predators

Cited by 104 publications

References 3 publications

Distribution, movements and diet of macrocrustaceans on a Scottish sandy beach with particular reference to predation on juvenile fishes

Distribution, movements and diet of macrocrustaceans on a Scottish sandy beach with particular reference to predation on juvenile fishes

Biological interactions and their role in community structure in the rocky intertidal of Helgoland (German Bight, North Sea)

Comparative Ecology of North Atlantic Shores: Do Differences in Players Matter for Process?

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