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Burrow development, nutrient fluxes, carnivory and caching behaviour by Calocaris macandreae (Crustacea: Decapoda: Thalassinidea)
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 10 August 2009
Abstract
Using aquaria containing natural sediment, medium-term burrow development was investigated. After initial construction, and over the first month, relatively little burrow development was observed in terms of the number of openings and tunnels created. After an additional six months, however, there was a significant increase in the number of openings and tunnels constructed. In contrast to what might be expected from the number of openings and tunnels created during this period, a significant proportion of the sediment movement was sub-surface and relatively little sediment expulsion occurred. The concentration of nitrite, ammonia and phosphate in the burrow water was generally greater than that of the surface water, whilst the nitrate and sulphate measurements showed no particular pattern. Only the differences in phosphate concentrations were found to be significantly different. These results were indicative of Calocaris macandreae influencing rates of denitrification. This study also provided further evidence of carnivory and caching behaviour in this species.
- Type
- Research Article
- Information
- Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom , Volume 90 , Issue 2 , March 2010 , pp. 247 - 253
- Copyright
- Copyright © Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 2009
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