A Model of Marine Fish Herbivory in Cold Waters Dietary Choice, Growth, Food Processing and Metabolism of Temperate-Zone Seaweed-Eating Fishes

霍恩博士提出的研究将包括 实验旨在加深我们对为什么 在温带和高海拔地区， 海洋的纬度相比， 热带沃茨。 这些实验将集中在以下方面的作用： 海藻韧性在温带草食性动物饮食选择中的作用 鱼，2）这些鱼在不同蛋白质饮食中的生长 3）温度对食品加工的影响 这些冷水的效率和代谢需求 食草动物 这些实验将检验构成 温带鱼类食草模型的基本要素。 这个模型预测：1）只有相对不活跃的鱼才能 在低环境温度下满足他们的能源需求 全海藻饮食，因此2）海藻饮食是 对更活跃的鱼来说， 一年中的温暖时期。 要研究的鱼有两种 丰富的近海加州物种--一年四季都很缓慢 岩石潮间带的一种草食动物 和一种活跃的季节性食草动物（学名：Acutes mystinus）， 邻近的海藻床群落。

The research proposed by Dr. Horn will comprise experiments designed to further our understanding of why there are so few species of herbivorous fishes in temperate and high latitudes of the ocean as compared to much larger numbers in tropical waters. The experiments will focus on the 1) role of seaweed toughness in dietary choice of temperate-zone herbivorous fish, 2) growth of these fish on diets of varying protein content and 3) the effect of temperature on food processing efficiencies and metabolic requirements of these cold-water herbivores. These experiments will test hypotheses that form the essential elements of a model of temperate-zone fish herbivory. This model predicts that 1) only relatively inactive fish can meet their energy demands at low environmental temperatures on an all-seaweed diet and therefore that 2) a seaweed diet is energetically feasible for more active fish only during the warmer periods of the year. The fishes to be studied are two abundant inshore California species--a sluggish year-round herbivore (Cebidichthys violaceus) from the rocky intertidal zone and an active, seasonal herbivore (Sebastes mystinus) from the adjacent kelp bed community.