Energy balance of a laboratory population of Ostrea Edulis (L)

• Main Author: Buxton, Colin David
• Other Authors: Field, John
• Format: Dissertation
• Language: English
• Published: University of Cape Town 2015
• Subjects: Zoology
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/11427/12570

Includes bibliographical references. === The energy balance components of a laboratory population of juvenile Ostrea edulis, fed on Tetraselmis seucica at 15°C and 35%, were investigated. The results show that filtration rate is a power function of body size and is dependent on food concentration. The relationship between food concentration and filtration rate closely approximated a theoretical model proposed for copepods, which was therefore adapted to suit bivalves. Filtration rate showed no selection of particles on the basis of size. However, oysters are probably able to recognise algae on a chemosensory basis and reject undesirable particles. Routine metabolism was found to be proportional to the 1,09 power of body mass. This agrees with expected values of the mass exponent predicted in the literature for animals of this size. No evidence of energy loss as dissolved organic carbon was recorded.