Date of Award
2008
Document Type
Honors Thesis (Open Access)
Department
Colby College. Biology Dept.
Advisor(s)
David H. Firmage
Second Advisor
Paul Greenwood
Third Advisor
W. Herbert Wilson
Abstract
Microhabitat selection of the limpet Tectura testudinalis, an important grazer along the rocky Maine coast is examined using both mensurative and manipulative experiments. T. testudinalis substrate selection is essential to its survival in the unpredictable and harsh regime of the intertidal zone. At three sites studied in the Gulf of Maine, T. testudinalis selectively inhabits tidal pools and vertically oriented substrates. Both of these microhabitats reduce the degree of environmental stress (desiccation, extreme temperature, and hypersaline conditions) and predation experienced by individuals. Differences among sites are common, indicating the importance of varying environmental factors in regulating and influencing habitat selection in this species.
Keywords
Tortoiseshell limpet, Habitat, Maine, Atlantic Coast, Habitat selection
Recommended Citation
Lyczkowski, Emily R., "Microhabitat Selection by the Tortoiseshell Limpet, Tectura testudinalis (Müller), in Tide Pools on the mid-Maine Coast" (2008). Honors Theses. Paper 241.https://digitalcommons.colby.edu/honorstheses/241
Copyright
Colby College theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed or downloaded from this site for the purposes of research and scholarship. Reproduction or distribution for commercial purposes is prohibited without written permission of the author.