Population Ecology and Feeding Biology of Nudibranchs in Colonies of the Hydroid Obelia Geniculata
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University of New Hampshire University of New Hampshire Scholars' Repository Doctoral Dissertations Student Scholarship Fall 1990 Population ecology and feeding biology of nudibranchs in colonies of the hydroid Obelia geniculata Walter J. Lambert University of New Hampshire, Durham Follow this and additional works at: https://scholars.unh.edu/dissertation Recommended Citation Lambert, Walter J., "Population ecology and feeding biology of nudibranchs in colonies of the hydroid Obelia geniculata" (1990). Doctoral Dissertations. 1623. https://scholars.unh.edu/dissertation/1623 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Student Scholarship at University of New Hampshire Scholars' Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in Doctoral Dissertations by an authorized administrator of University of New Hampshire Scholars' Repository. For more information, please contact [email protected]. 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Zeeb R& Ann Arbor, MI 48106 NOTE TO USERS THE ORIGINAL DOCUMENT RECEIVED BY U.M.I. CONTAINED PAGES WITH PHOTOGRAPHS WHICH MAY NOT REPRODUCE PROPERLY. THIS REPRODUCTION IS THE BEST AVAILABLE COPY. Population ecology and feeding biology of nudibranchs in colonies of the hydroid Obelia geniculata by W alter J . Lam bert B.S.. University of Rhode Island, 1982 M.S., University of New Hampshire, 1985 Dissertation Doctor of Philosophy in Zoology September. 1990 This dissertation has been examined and approved by: " ■ *4 . ; . ..) ^ 1 1-0 Dissertation Director, Larrv G. Harris Professor of Zoology -— \ J^nes T. Taylor J Associate Professor of Zoology • — ^ S £T* James F. Haney Professor of Zoology O'/' / S Lr( I '-&f Yun-Tzu Kiang / Professor of Plant Biology y Ronald H. Karlson Associate Professor of Ecology University of Delaware m * k ^ = L Alan M. Kuzirian Assistant Scientist Marine Biological Lab. Woods Hole. MA Acknowledgements The completion of this work benefitted from the support and encouragement of many. My wife. Debbie deserves my deepest gratitude and appreciation for her love, support and faith that this project would be completed. Jody Berman and Maiy Sue Potts provided encouragement, advice and friendship. Also, thanks to Paul and Cindy Martin. Mary-Jane James. Marianne deS and Kelly Gestring for their confidence and support during this project. Many divers braved the cold waters of Nubble Light and Newcastle. NH assisting in the collection of samples. Particularly, thanks to Paul Martin. Karen Vemy, Gwen Weisgarber. Steve Truchon. Phil Levin, Nadine Folino and Larry Harris. Their help and faithfulness is greatly appreciated. A number of individuals generously offered advice and assistance during various stages of this work. Marian Litvaitis and Chuck Walker provided technical assistance and space for EM and histology. Drafts of this dissertation were labored over by Adam Marsh. Jody Berman and Marian Litvaitis. Their willingness to "cut and paste" improved the dissertation immensely. Jim Taylor offered time, a computer and assistance in experimental design and statistical analyses as well as conversations on the biology of populations. Hunt Howell provided space and equipment at the Coastal Marine Lab. I also thank my committee: Larry Harris, Jim Taylor, Jim Haney. Yun-Tzu Kiang. Ron Karlson and Alan Kuzirian for advice and encouragment throughout this project. Special thanks are due to Dr. "T" for always keeping the cookie jar filled and to Steve Frank for providing time and help in making slides. This work was supported in part by a Central University Research Fund grant, a summer teaching assistant fellowship and a dissertation fellowship from the University of NH Graduate School. lii Table of Contents Acknowledgements .......................................................................................................... lii List of Figures ..................................................................................................................... vii List of Tables ..................................................................................................................... x A b stra c t ................................................................................................................................. xii Dissertation objectives .................................................................................................... 1 B ac k g ro u n d ........................................................................................................................ 2 Species descriptions .............................................................................................. 8 S tu d y s ite ................................................................................................................... 10 CHAPTER 1. The epifauna associated with colonies of the hydroid Obelia geniculata. Introduction ........................................................................................................................ 13 Materials and M ethods .................................................................................................... 15 Collection of anim als ........................................................................................... 15 Statistical analysis ................................................................................................. 16 R e su lts.................................................................................................................................. 17 S p ecies p attern s o f a b u n d a n c e .......................................................................... 17 Hydroid abundance .............................................................................................. 17 Abundances of epifauna ..................................................................................... 18 Factors affecting species abundances ........................................................... 21 Motile epifauna ................................................................................................. 21 Sessile epifauna ....................................................................................................... 22 D isc u ssio n ........................................................................................................................... 23 Motile epifauna ....................................................................................................... 23 Sessile epifauna ....................................................................................................... 25 F ig u res.................................................................................................................................. 28 T ab les ..................................................................................................................................... 44 CHAPTER 2. Distribution and abundance of nudibranchs within colonies of the hydroid Obelia geniculata. Introduction ........................................................................................................................ 49 Materials and Methods .................................................................................................... 51 Collection of anim als ........................................................................................... 51 Statistical analysis ................................................................................................. 52 iv R e s u lts .................................................................................................................................. 53 Hydroid abundance .............................................................................................. 53 Nudibranch abundance .......................................................................................