Ecology of Marine Bivalves: An Ecosystem Approach

Published:
August 28, 1996 by CRC Press - 272 Pages
Author(s):
Richard F. Dame, Distinguished Palmetto Professor Emeritus, Coastal Carolina University, Conway, South Carolina, USA; Richard F. Dame, Distinguished Palmetto Professor Emeritus, Coastal Carolina University, Conway, South Carolina, USA

Purchasing Options

Hardback
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ISBN 9780849380457
Cat# 8045
 

Features

  • Concisely reviews ecosystem processes including grazing, system metabolism, and nutrient cycling in systems dominated by marine bivalves
  • Discusses the roles of marine bivalves as a keystone species and as ecosystem engineers
  • Includes pressing research issues in marine science
  • Explains how bivalves are used as monitors and indicators of ecosystem stress and as a fisheries resource
  • Packed with important and interesting topics for marine scientists, bivalve researchers, coastal and fisheries research managers, and studentsMarketing code: 2F, 2M (Environmental Science/Ecology/Fisheries Science)Audience
  • Marine scientists
  • Bivalve researchers
  • Coastal and fisheries research managers
  • Marine science and ecology students

    • Summary

    Bivalves, such as clams and oysters, are species having two-valved shells. In the marine ecosystem these species play a unique and essential role. This book examines the ecology of bivalves from an ecosystem or holistic view, taking into consideration their processes, interactions, and components. Studies of bivalves at the physical, organismic, and population levels are presented as foundations for understanding ecosystem processes. Ecology of Marine Bivalves: An Ecosystem Approach explores the potential use of bivalves as indicators and monitors of ecosystem health and describes experiments from the perspective of computer simulations, mesocosm studies, and field manipulation experiments. The theories of many areas of science support the various approaches. Concise reviews and more than 70 tables and figures give you rapid access to synthesized data about these keystone species.

    Table of Contents

    INTRODUCTION
    Ecosystem Perspective and Bivalve Molluscs
    Evolutionary History
    Ecosystems
    References
    SUPPORTING PROCESSES
    Physical Environmental Interactions
    Introduction
    Temperature
    Salinity
    Temperature-Salinity and Other Factor Combinations
    Water Movement
    Tides
    Sediments
    References
    Organismic Level Processes
    Introduction
    Feeding
    Filter Feeding
    Deposit Feeding
    Shipworms
    Symbiotic Nutrition
    References
    Population Processes
    Introduction
    Life Cycle
    Statistical Measures of Populations
    Density
    Reproduction
    Population Growth
    Bivalves as Open or Metapopulations
    Life and Fecundity Tables
    Mortality
    Abiotic Mortality
    Predation
    Competition-Induced Mortality
    Aggreggated Distributions
    Zonation
    Diseases and Parasites
    Population Energy Budgets
    References
    ECOSYSTEM PROCESSES
    Grazing
    Introduction
    Methods Used to Estimate System Grazing
    Upstream-Downstream Observations
    Ecosystem Grazing Estimates
    Ecosystem Comparisons
    References
    System Metabolism and Nutrient Cycling
    System Metabolism
    Nutrient Cycling
    Conclusions
    References
    Models, Experimental Ecosystems, and Field Manipulations
    Introduction
    Models
    Model Formation
    Model Analysis
    References
    Bivalves as Components of Ecosystem Health
    Introduction
    Bivalves as Monitors
    Bivalves as Integrators
    Bivalve Responses
    Conclusions
    References
    SYNTHESIS AND CONCLUSIONS
    Conclusions
    Keystone Species
    Ecoststem Engineers
    Ecosystem Level Roles of Bivalves
    Ecosystem Issues
    Synthesis
    References
    INDEX

    Editorial Reviews

    ". . . a useful addition to marine ecologists and especially to ecosystem and systems ecologists."
    -Ecology

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