Multivariate morphometric analysis of two varieties of Littorina saxatilis from the Swedish west coast

Shell variation in Littorina saxatilis Olivi (=L. rudis) is examined with different techniques of multivariate analysis (canonical variate-, multiple discriminant-, principal component-, and principal coordinate analysis). In bivariate projections of the analyses, two populations, spatially only 60 m apart, but from different habitats, showed a phenotypic separation without overlap. One habitat is a boulder shore, while the other is a rocky cliff. A sample, geographically and environmentally intermediate to the exposed and sheltered populations, covered completely the morphologic gap between the two former groups, indicating a clinal variation in morphology over the environmental gradient exposed — sheltered. From this it is concluded that the two phenotypically distinct populations belong to the same species.     

Wave exposure effects on population structure and recruitment in the mussel <Emphasis Type="Italic">Perna perna</Emphasis> suggest regulation primarily through availability of recruits and food,not space

Recruitment and population structure of Perna perna in low shore mussel beds were investigated over 15 months at six sites along the south coast of South Africa. Initial, subjective classification of sites as wave exposed or wave sheltered (three of each) was confirmed using the dissolution of cement blocks to measure average water flux and dynamometers for maximum wave force. Recruitment occurred throughout the year, but recruit (1–5 mm) densities were significantly higher from January to April 1996 on both shore types. Recruit densities were positively correlated with adult (>15 mm) densities for both shore types (P < 0.05) but the correlations were extremely weak (r ² < 0.06 in each case). In areas with 100% cover, adult size (mean and maximum lengths) was greater on exposed sites, but density showed the reverse and was negatively correlated with maximum wave strength (r = −0.84). Despite differences in adult densities and sizes, biomass, which is a product of the two, showed no significant difference between the two shore types (ANOVA P > 0.05). Thus wave exposure dramatically affects density, recruitment and mussel size, but not recruitment timing or biomass where there is 100% cover, and mediates a three-way interaction among food supply, larval supply and intraspecific competition for space. In contrast to shores with saturation recruitment, mussel biomass here appears to be limited by recruit supply and constraints of food, especially on sheltered shores, while density is regulated through intraspecific competition for space primarily on exposed shores and at small spatial scales.     

Condition-dependent response to changes in pollen stores by honey bee (Apis mellifera) colonies with different parasitic loads

The impact of a parasitic infestation may be influenced by nutritional state, in both individuals and colonies. This study examined the interaction between pollen storage and the effects of an infestation by the mite, Varroa jacobsoni Oudemans, in colonies of the honey bee, Apis mellifera L. We manipulated the pollen storage and mite infestation levels of colonies, and measured pollen foraging and brood rearing. Increased pollen stores decreased both the number of pollen foragers and pollen load size, while initially at least foragers from colonies with moderate infestations carried smaller pollen loads than those from lightly infested colonies. Over the course of the experiment, all colonies significantly increased pollen-foraging rates and pollen consumption, which was presumably a seasonal effect. Lightly infested colonies exhibited a larger increase in pollen forager number than moderately infested colonies, suggesting that more intense mite infestations compromised forager recruitment. Brood production was not affected by the addition of pollen, but moderately infested colonies were rearing significantly less brood by the end of the experiment than lightly infested colonies. Furthermore, the efficiency with which colonies converted pollen to brood decreased as the pollen storage level decreased and the infestation level increased. The results of this study may indicate that honey bee colonies adaptively alter brood-production efficiency in response to parasitic infestations and seasonal changes. Received: 3 May 1999 / Received in revised form: 14 September 1999 / Accepted: 25 September 1999     

Genetic and environmental effects on the growth rate of Littorina saxatilis

Transfer experiments with two morphs of Littorina saxatilis Olivi (=L. rudis) typically inhabiting exposed and sheltered localities, showed a between-morph difference in shell growth in the same type of habitat, and a withinmorph difference between exposed and sheltered environments. The former indicates a genetic difference between the two morphs, although growth rate has an environmental component as shown by the latter. Juvenile snails of the exposed morph were on average slightly larger than sheltered morph juveniles on hatching, but at 20 wk, when raised in identical environments, the sheltered morph juveniles had grown significantly larger than the exposed ones. A rise in temperature from 5° to 10°C enhanced growth rate for snails raised in the laboratory. Temperature alone could not however explain increased growth during the spring and summer in natural populations.     

Electrophoretic variants of egg white transferrin indicate a low rate of intraspecific brood parasitism in colonial cliff swallows in the Sierra Nevada,California

Summary The frequency of intraspecific brood parasitism in two colonies of cliff swallows (Hirundo pyrrhonota) nesting in the eastern Sierra Nevada in California was assessed through an electrophoretic analysis of egg white (albumin) proteins. Albumin proteins are maternally derived and are presumed to directly reflect maternal genotype. Thus, a comparison of protein banding patterns produced by eggs collected from a single clutch allows any egg laid by a female other than the putative mother to be detected. Eggs were collected from 13 cliff swallow nests in 1984 and 41 nests in 1987, a total of 54 nests. Of the clutches collected in 1984, one showed evidence of intraspecific brood parasitism, giving a nest parasitism rate of 7.6%. In 1987, one of 41 nests contained a parasitic egg, for a parasitism rate of 2.4%. Over both years combined the rate of intraspecific brood parasitism was 2 of 54 nests, or 3.7%. These parasitism rates are much lower than those estimated for Nebraskan cliff swallows (22–43%) and 2nd-year purple martins (36%). Possible explanations for the discrepancy between parasitism rates in Sierran cliff swallows and other groups of swallows are discussed.Correspondence to: A.P. Smyth     

Observations on shell form and its ecological significance in thaisid gastropods of the genus Lepsiella in New Zealand

This paper is concerned with the ecological significance of variation in shell form within the thaisid gastropod genus Lepsiella in New Zealand. Shell form has been investigated by measurement of shell height and breadth, aperture length and width, the diameters of consecutive whorls, apical angle, shell weight, and shell capacity, although in many cases shell height and shell breadth could not be measured because of erosion. L.albomarginata has been studied intensively at 4 stations in the South Island, and L. scobina less intensively at 6 stations in the North and South Islands. Comparisons of pairs of characters between stations have been tested by regression analysis and analysis of covariance where appropriate. Shells of L. albomarginata are relatively taller and narrower, and have a thicker wall, at a very sheltered station (Hakahaka Bay) that at more wave-exposed stations. L. scobina (sensu stricto), characterised by the presence of spiral ribs on the shell, exhibits less striking but comparable differences in shell shape. In laboratory tests in a tidal tank the thicker-shelled L. albomarginata from a sheltered station (Hakahaka Bay in Port Underwood) was much better able to resist attack by the shore crab Hemigrapsus edwardsi than was L. albomarginata from a nearby wave-exposed station (Whites Bay, near Cape Campbell, South Island). L. scobina from both stations was resistant to attack. H. edwardsi abounds at sheltered stations, but is missing from wave-exposed rock reefs such as those at Whites Bay, so that the ability to survive encounters with shore crabs is ecologically important to L. albomarginata inhabiting sheltered stations. L. scobina occupies a lower zone on the shore, where it is probably liable to encounter other more powerful predators. Its spiral ribs probably strengthen the shell. We do not know to what extent differences in shell form and thickness depend on environmental factors, and to what extent they originate genetically. Thin shells are associated with an abundance of mussels (Mytilus edulis ssp. aoteanus or Modiolus neozelanicus). There is an interesting possibility that a scarcity of mussels or other food caused by superior nonspecific predators might result in the production of better-protected Lepsiella.     

Notes on the Nerita (Archaeogastropoda) populations of Aldabra Atoll,Indian Ocean

Nerita undata, N. plicata, N. polita, N. albicilla and N. textilis are common intertidal gastropods on Aldabra Atoll. Each species prefers a different level on the shore and/or different degrees of exposure to wave action. Patterns of zonation, population size-frequency structure and biomass are given. N. undata exhibits 2 distinct ecophenotypes. Normal types occur on expsed to moderately sheltered shores but are replaced by type B in extremely sheltered conditions. Differences in shell morphology and population structure are also noted. Foraging by all species was confined to hours of darkness, generally at low tide. Activity of N. polita was induced slightly on overcast days. N. undata and N. textilis are cryptically coloured and often visible during the day. N. plicata is conspicuous, but is protected by a strong shell. N. polita and N. albicilla are often brightly and variably coloured, but both are concealed during daylight. No Nerita were found infected with trematodes, suggesting that the degree of infection was extremely low. Habitats of the Aldabran Nerita are compared with 3 species on Barbados, West Indies.     

Genetic structure of hybrid mussel populations in the west of Ireland: two hypotheses revisited

In Ireland, mussels on exposed rocky shores constitute an interbreeding mixture of two forms of mussels, the blue mussel, Mytilus edulis, and the Mediterranean mussel, M. galloprovincialis. Results from an Irish study in the 1980s, using partially diagnostic allozyme markers, indicated that mussels higher up the shore were more galloprovincialis-like than those lower down. In this study we set out to test two hypotheses: (a) recruits arriving on the shore are composed of genetically distinct cohorts that settle preferentially at different levels on the shore, and maintain genetic distinctiveness into adulthood; (b) recruits are genetically homogeneous, but once settled they diverge genetically over time, due to within-habitat site specific-selection. The diagnostic Me 15/16 DNA marker was used to analyse the genetic composition of newly-settled spat recruiting to artificial substrates, which were placed at two-week intervals from May–October 2002, on the mid- and low shore areas of two exposed sites in Galway Bay. Adult mussels were also collected on each sampling date. Results did not support the preferential settlement hypothesis, i.e., the genetic composition of primary settlers (≤ 500 μm) was similar between tidal heights and shores. Neither was there evidence of post settlement selective mortality, as adults were genetically similar to settling spat. In spat and adults the frequency of the M. galloprovincialis allele was high (0.56–0.80), due to high frequencies of M. galloprovincialis (> 37%) and hybrid (> 33%) genotypes, and correspondingly low frequencies of the M. edulis genotype (< 11%). Adult mussels from a nearby sheltered estuarine site, while significantly different to exposed shore mussels, still had low frequencies of the M. edulis genotype (< 17%), indicating no apparent advantage for the genotype in this environment. There are indications that the genetic composition of mussels may be changing on the Atlantic coasts of Ireland.     

Distribution of algae on tropical rocky shores: spatial and temporal patterns of non-coralline encrusting algae in Hong Kong

Encrusting algae have been described as dominant space occupying species on rocky shores around the world. Despite their abundance, however, most studies classify species under generic names (e.g. Ralfsia sp.) or as a functional group (e.g. encrusting algae), thereby underestimating the number of species present and their ecological importance. Studies on six rocky shores of varying exposure, in Hong Kong, recorded eight common species of encrusting algae. The greatest abundance of encrusting algae was recorded on shores of intermediate exposure, where four distinct zonation bands could be identified; a cyanobacterial Kyrtuthrix-Zone in the upper midlittoral, a Bare-Zone below this, a Mixed-Zone in the lower midlittoral and a Coralline-Zone in the infralittoral fringe. Abundance declined on shores of greater and lower exposure to wave action, where bivalves and barnacles were competitively dominant. Certain species were found in greater abundance on exposed shores (e.g. Dermocarpa sp. and Hildenbrandia occidentalis), while others preferred more sheltered shores (e.g. Hildenbrandia prototypus and Kyrtuthrix maculans). With the exception of some cyanobacterial crusts, the abundance of encrusting algae was always greatest towards the low shore, an area of decreased physical stress and increased herbivore density. Zonation patterns showed seasonal variation associated with the monsoonal climate of Hong Kong. Most species increased in abundance during the cool season, while during the summer months the cover and vertical extent of encrusting algae decreased in relation to summer temperatures, although K. maculans increased in abundance during the summer. On Hong Kong shores, encrusting algae have a high species richness and exhibit within-functional group spatial and temporal variation which is mediated by herbivory and seasonal, physical stresses.     

Abundance,population structure and claw morphology of the semi-terrestrial crab <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pachygrapsus marmoratus</Emphasis> (Fabricius, 1787) on shores of differing wave exposure

Wave action is known to influence the abundance and distribution of intertidal organisms. Wave action will also determine the duration and suitability of various foraging windows (high-tide and low-tide, day and night) for predation and can also affect predator behaviour, both directly by impeding prey handling and indirectly by influencing prey abundance. It remains uncertain whether semi-terrestrial mobile predators such as crabs which can access intertidal prey during emersion when the effects of wave action are minimal, are influenced by exposure. Here, we assessed the effect of wave action on the abundance and population structure (size and gender) of the semi-terrestrial intertidal crab Pachygrapsus marmoratus on rocky shores in Portugal. The activity of P. marmoratus with the tidal cycle on sheltered and exposed shores was established using baited pots at high-tide to examine whether there was activity during intertidal immersion and by low-tide searches. Because prey abundance varies along a wave exposure gradient on most Portuguese shores and because morphology of crab chelipeds are known to be related to diet composition, we further tested the hypothesis that predator stomach contents reflected differences in prey abundance along the horizontal gradient in wave exposure and that this would be correlated with the crab cheliped morphology. Thus, we examined phenotypic variation in P. marmoratus chelipeds across shores of differing exposure to wave action. P. marmoratus was only active during low-tide. Patterns of abundance and population structure of crabs did not vary with exposure to wave action. Stomach contents, however, varied significantly between shores of differing exposure with a higher consumption of hard-shelled prey (mussels) on exposed locations, where this type of prey is more abundant, and a higher consumption of barnacles on sheltered shores. Multivariate geometric analysis of crab claws showed that claws were significantly larger on exposed shores. There was a significant correlation between animals with larger claws and the abundance of mussels in their stomach. Variation in cheliped size may have resulted from differing food availability on sheltered and exposed shores.     

Aspects écologiques de la zonation intertidale sur les côtes rocheuses des îles Galapagos

Features of the intertidal zonation on the rocky shores of the Galapagos Islands are described and discussed in relation to environmental factors, in particular temperature — which varies with regional hydrology and climatology. Owing to the thermal properties of the coastal waters and to the nature of the substrate (mainly basalt), intertidal organisms are exposed to a wide range of temperatures, which fluctuate with tide, day, and season. As a result, life is mostly restricted to the lowest levels of the shore; the middle- and upper-level populations are sparse. Local variations (biofacies) resulting from water agitation are described. Biota consist of tropical, subtropical, and warm-temperate components. Tropical species dominate in sheltered areas and in middle and upper shores.

---

---

Contribution No. 164, the Charles Darwin Foundation.     

A comparison of two cartographic exposure methods using Fucus vesiculosus as an indicator

Morphological variation and vertical distribution of Fucus vesiculosus were quantified at several sites in the Finnish archipelago (Baltic Sea). F. vesiculosus samples were obtained from skerries at geographical distances of 1 km or more (large scale) and at intervals of ca 100 m around a single island (small scale). The results were examined in relation to wave exposure, calculated by Baardseth and effective fetch cartographic methods. Despite the fact that the exposure indices were calculated differently they correlated strongly. Vegetative morphological characteristics of F. vesiculosus illustrate the morphological differences both within and between exposure gradients. The tallest and widest F. vesiculosus plants were found at the sheltered end of the large-scale exposure gradient. Those from equally sheltered sites of the island were smaller in all respects. Thus, the trend from small narrow plants to large wide sheltered plants was expressed differently over the different geographical scales. Consequently localities with similar exposure indices may have morphologically different F. vesiculosus populations. Shores with similar cartographic exposure indices can be different in nature. Underwater topography and shore locations, either close to the mainland or at the outermost sites of the archipelago, affect the exposure. Although a sheltered shore is indicated, the sublittoral zone may be quite exposed to the movements of water. In contrast, in an open shore environment underwater rocks, boulders and shallow water areas can provide sheltered habitats. The depth range of the F. vesiculosus belt exhibited two distinctive patterns. At sheltered sites, around islands in the outermost reaches of the archipelago F. vesiculosus can grow to a maximum depth of 5 m. In exposed habitats the belt becomes narrower, reaching a maximum depth of 3 m. Closer to the mainland F. vesiculosus is found at exposed sites to a maximum depth of 5 m; the depth range at sheltered sites is narrower, only reaching depths of 2 m or less. In conclusion, the changes in plant morphology and in the vertical belt distribution are similar to each other along both gradients at the exposed ends of the wave action spectrum; however, the two gradients diverge at the sheltered ends of the spectrum. Received: 10 August 1998 / Accepted: 11 January 1999     

Distribution and morphological variation of low-shore algal turfs

The distribution of three functional groups of algae (filamentous, corticated terete and calcareous articulated) was investigated in low-shore, turf-forming assemblages from rocky shores in the western Mediterranean Sea (Italy). Algae were sampled along shores from three different stations. Shores were either exposed to wave action or sheltered and were characterised by various inclinations of the rocky substratum (horizontal, sloping and vertical). The hypotheses tested were: that the relative abundance of the three functional groups of algae (1) varies between sheltered and exposed shores, (2) is influenced by substratum inclination and (3) that these distributions are consistent across stations. There was no clear relationship between the morphology of turf-forming algae and shore characteristics. Covers of filamentous, corticated terete and calcareous articulated algae differed among shores and stations, but patterns were not consistent across shores with similar exposure to waves and substratum inclination. Turfs often comprised algae with different morphologies, in a combination of anchor and epiphytic species. It is suggested that functional groups of algae, as currently identified, are not effective in describing changes in distribution of algae between sheltered and exposed shores, when turf morphologies are considered. Future research on relationships between morphology and ecology of algae should consider the potential importance of positive interactions among associated species, which could override responses of individual functional groups.     

Interactive effects of wave exposure and tidal height on population structure of the mussel Perna perna

The influence of wave exposure and of tidal height on mussel (Perna perna Linnaeus) population structure (size, density, biomass and adult/juvenile correlations) was examined at 18 sites along the south coast of South Africa. Sites were classified as exposed or sheltered prior to sampling, without reference to the biota, on the basis of aspect, topography and wave regime. A single set of samples was collected from each site during three spring tide cycles. Adult mussels on these shores almost always attach directly to the rocks, and layering of mussels is virtually absent. Shore height always had a strong influence on population structure, but exposure had significant effects only lower on the shore, and almost exclusively on mussel sizes. Principal component analysis (PCA), based on size distribution data for each population, revealed a general upshore decrease in the modal size of the adult cohort. The effects of exposure on size distribution, however, varied with tidal height. PCA separated exposed zones, with larger mussels, from sheltered zones on the low-shore. Farther upshore the two shore types were increasingly confounded. The maximum size of mussels showed a similar pattern, with significant differences (ANOVA, p < 0.05) between exposed and sheltered sites only on the low- and mid-shores. Density was calculated from randomly placed quadrats (i.e. not necessarily from areas of 100% cover) and showed a different pattern. Adult (>15 mm) densities decreased up the shore, with low-, mid- and high-shore zones being significantly different from one another (ANOVA, p < 0.0001; followed by multiple range tests). However, exposure had no significant effect on density, nor was there a significant interaction with zone. Recruit (<15 mm) densities were positively correlated with adult (>15 mm) densities in all zones and for both exposure regimes ( p < 0.05 in all cases), but there was considerable variability and extremely low predictability in these relationships (r ² generally <0.2). Predictability tended to be greater towards the high-shore, where adults were more clumped. As with density, biomass was not affected by exposure, but decreased upshore as mean size and density decreased. A reduction in the influence of exposure farther upshore may be caused by greater emersion overriding the effects of exposure. The presence of free space within mussel beds and significant correlations between recruit and adult densities suggest that these mussel populations are recruit limited. Received: 7 January 2000 / Accepted: 6 July 2000     

Ecological energetics of the seaweed zone in a marine bay on the Atlantic coast of Canada. I. Zonation and biomass of seaweeds

An intertidal and underwater survey of the zonation of seaweed in St. Margaret's Bay, NovaScotia, Canada showed 8 major zones as one proceeded away from shore: (1) Fucus and Ascophyllum; (2) Chorda with filamentous browns; (3) Chondrus crispus; (4) Zostera marina; (5) Laminaria digitata with L. longicrusis; (6) Laminaria longicruris; (7) L. longicruris with Agarum cribrosum; (8) Agarum cribrosum with Ptilota serrata. Zostera occurred at the same level as O. crispus but replaced it in sheltered water. Ascophyllum was more abundant in sheltered water. L. digitata was confined to the more exposed, steeper shore. The average horizontal extent of the seaweed zone was 369 m, and the greatest depth of significant amounts of seaweed 20 to 30 m. Laminaria longicruris contributed 36% of the total biomass, and Laminaria spp. and Agarum together constituted 83%, while intertidal seaweeds contributed less than 10% of the biomass. The estimated average total biomass per m of shore line was 1,481 kg fresh weight, 326 kg dry weight, 98 kg carbon, or 980x10³ kcal. When averaged over the whole area of the bay, the corresponding figures were 1.38 kg/m² fresh weight, 0.30 kg/m² dry weight, 91 g/m² carbon or 912 kcal/m². Dry matter of Laminaria was 15 to 27% of fresh weight in blades, 10 to 12% in stipes. The dry matter content of blades was least in spring and highest in autumn, but carbon content and calorific value of dry matter showed little difference with species or season.Contribution to the International Biological Programme CCIBP 108.Bedford Institute Contribution BI 249.     

Ecological studies on intertidal New Zealand Sphaeromatidae (Isopoda: Flabellifera)

Ten sympatric rocky shore species and 3 brackish-water species of Sphaeromatidae were studied. Rocky shores were classified in terms of substrate and exposure to wave action. Although most of the rocky-shore species occur on all shore classes, vertical and horizontal distribution in each species, as well as densities, vary with substrate and wave action. A close relationship between distribution and breeding exists in the rocky-shore species; maximum differences in the vertical distribution of juveniles and adults occur, together with the highest reproductive capacities, in the species exposed to the greatest wave action. Tolerances to temperature, salinity and desiccation are wider in the species of brackish water and less exposed rocky shores, correlating with the greater variations in these conditions where wave action is reduced. Exoskeletons and pereopods are stouter in the species of more exposed shores, except where the microhabitat affords protection from wave action. In Isocladus armatus, geographic and seasonal variations in relative frequencies of colour forms correlate with differences in environmental temperatures. Under laboratory conditions, the colour forms show differences in tolerances to temperature and salinity.This work was carried out in the Zoology Department, University of Canterbury, New Zealand; the text was completed in Zoologisches Institut der Universität Kiel, Germany.     

Genetic evidence of multiple parentage in broods of cliff swallows

Summary Parental exclusion analyses based on allozyme data were performed on 105 families of cliff swallows (Hirundo pyrrhonota) from southwestern Nebraska, USA. The protein products of seve polymorphic loci were resolved from blood, and at least one parental exclusion occurred at six of these loci. One or both putative parents were excluded for 35 nestlings from 22 different families. The mean number of non-kin nestlings in these families was 1.59. Non-kin nestlings were found in families with brood sizes ranging from two to five. A greater percentage of families in an 1100-nest colony had non-kin offspring than in two smaller colonics, although the difference was not statistically significant. Application of genetic models to these data and the observed distribution of parental exclusions suggested that multiple parentage in cliff swallows results more often from intraspecific brood parasitism than from forced extra-pair copulations. Based on the calculated probabilities of detecting non-kin, we estimate that 23.7% of all nestlings in our population are not the offspring of one or both of their putative parents. We estimate that about 43% of all cliff swallow nests in Nebraska contain at least one offspring resulting from intraspecific brood parasitism, and that about 6% of nests might contain offspring resulting from extra-pair copulations.     

Factors affecting variability of foraging excursions in a population of the limpet Patella vulgata (Mollusca,Gastropoda)

Paths moved by the limpet Patella vulgata L. were monitored on a sheltered vertical rocky shore in North Wales using time-lapse photography throughout nocturnal low tides in April and November 1992, roughly corresponding to periods of minimum and maximum gonad ripeness, respectively. Various motion parameters, including total duration, total length, and maximum distance reached from home were computed from 124 complete foraging routes obtained from 18 higher-zoned and 18 lower-zoned limpets. P. vulgata typically performed a single loop per night (average total length, ca. 70 cm), moving from the individual home scar to graze the surrounding algal grounds (average maximum distance, ca. 25 cm), then following its own trail back home. On the average, limpets moved from the home scar during three of four available nocturnal low tides and exploited about half the emersion time. Evidence for size-related variability in behaviour was found, as a positive correlation was assessed between both total duration and legth of the excursions, and shell length. In addition, zonation was proved to affect the limpets' foraging behaviour, since low-shore limpets moved faster and covered greater distances than high-shore ones. Moreover, consistent seasonal variation in foraging behaviour emerged, since in April the excursions were longer and longer-lasting than in November, but limpets exploited a larger fraction of potential activity phases in November than in April. The within-population variability in the temporal and spatial characteristics of the foraging excursions is discussed in relation to the available data on zonal and seasonal variation of food resources and in relation to physiological changes due to reproductive cycle.     

Biochemical-genetic and ecological evidence that red/brown individuals of the anemone Actinia equina comprise two morphs in Britain

A study of the sea anemone Actinia equina L. displaying red to brown column coloration was conducted on British shores in 1981 and 1982 in order to assess the ecological significance of discontinuous variation in pedal disc colour. Two ecologically distinct morphs have been revealed. One is characterised by having a red/pink pedal disc, and by being homozygous slow or heterozygous at a hexokinase locus, whilst the other has a grey/green disc and is homozygous fast. The former is relatively more common on the upper-mid shore and on vertical rock faces, whereas individuals of the latter occur more frequently at lower levels, and are relatively more abundant on horizontal surfaces. Correlated with this is a dichotomy in the strength of attachment of the disc to the substratum; anemones having red/pink discs adhere relatively more firmly. Evidence from brood size analysis suggest that the morphs are subject to differential selection; the commoner one at many site examined had a larger median brood size. At present, none of our data on gene-enzyme variation suggests that red to brown anemones in Britain comprise more than one species. Nevertheless, it is argued that local speciation is potentially likely to occur as a result of disruptive selection.     

Patch dynamics of mussel beds near São Sebastião (São Paulo), Brazil

In permanent quadrats on exposed and protected shores near São Sebastião (São Paulo), Brazil, changes in percent cover of mussels [Brachidontes solisianus (d'Orbigny)] and barnacles [Chthamalus stellatus bisinuatus (Pilsbury)] were followed from November 1979 through December 1982. Mussels gradually disappeared from both shores, while barnacles came to dominate the exposed, but not the protected, shore. Decreases in percent cover of mussels were related to periods of higher temperatures. Mussels were only transient dominants of the mid-intertidal zone due to lack of recruitment and high summer mortality. This is probably because the study was carried out near the northern limit of their occurrence as a dominant of mid-intertidal communities.Deceased