Feeding Strategies and Limitations of Marine Bivalves

该项目的目的是通过使用最先进的观测技术进行直接操作实验，了解双壳类软体动物对复杂粒子加工机制的适应和局限性。Levinton博士和他的同事们将重点研究双壳类软体动物，因为它们对沿海生态系统中底栖-远洋耦合的影响很大。它们具有大范围的颗粒喂料模式，并且适合颗粒加工模型的测试。他们将研究悬浮饲养和沉淀饲养双壳类在暴露于自然范围的颗粒质量和总颗粒负荷时的反应和限制因素。响应的变化已被证明会影响双壳类动物取食的各个方面，这反过来又强烈影响浅海海岸生态系统中的悬浮物和沉积在沉积物表面的有机物的性质。因此，双壳类动物的摄食适应性与沿海海洋学之间存在着重要的联系。

9416943 Levinton The purpose of this project is to understand the adaptations of complex particle processing mechanisms and limitations of bivalve mollusks by means of direct manipulative experiments using state of the art observational techniques. Dr. Levinton and colleagues will focus on bivalve mollusks, owing to their great impact on benthic-pelagic coupling in coastal ecosystems. They have a large range of particle feeding modes and they are amenable to tests of models of particle processing. They will examine the responses and limiting factors of suspension feeding and deposit feeding bivalves, when exposed to a natural ranges of particle qualities and total particle loads. Variations in response have proven to affect various aspects of bivalve feeding, which in turn strongly affects the suspended matter in a shallow coastal ecosystem and the nature of the organic matter that is biodeposited on the sediment surface. There is, therefore, an important link between bivalve feeding adaptations and coastal oceanography.