The role of gaping behaviour in habitat partitioning between coexisting intertidal mussels |
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Authors: | Katy R Nicastro Gerardo I Zardi Christopher D McQuaid Linda Stephens Sarah Radloff Gregory L Blatch |
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Institution: | (1) CCMAR, CIMAR-Laboratorio Associado, Universidade do Algarve, 8005-139 Gambelas, Faro, Portugal;(2) Department of Zoology & Entomology, Rhodes University, 6140 Grahamstown, South Africa;(3) Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology & Biotechnology, Rhodes University, 6140 Grahamstown, South Africa;(4) Department of Statistics, Rhodes University, 6140 Grahamstown, South Africa |
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Abstract: | Background Environmental heterogeneity plays a major role in invasion and coexistence dynamics. Habitat segregation between introduced
species and their native competitors is usually described in terms of different physiological and behavioural abilities. However
little attention has been paid to the effects of behaviour in habitat partitioning among invertebrates, partially because
their behavioural repertoires, especially marine benthic taxa, are extremely limited. This study investigates the effect of
gaping behaviour on habitat segregation of the two dominant mussel species living in South Africa, the invasive Mytilus galloprovincialis and the indigenous Perna perna. These two species show partial habitat segregation on the south coast of South Africa, the lower and upper areas of the
mussel zone are dominated by P. perna and M. galloprovincialis respectively, with overlap in the middle zone. During emergence, intertidal mussels will either keep the valves closed, minimizing
water loss and undergoing anaerobic metabolism, or will periodically open the valves maintaining a more efficient aerobic
metabolism but increasing the risk of desiccation. |
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