In turn, the marsh grasses protect the mussels from heat stress and predators. Ribbed Mussel ( Geukensia demissa ) A bivalve with dark, ribbed shells buries in the mud and aggregates among marsh plants stimulates marsh plant root and rhizome growth with their biodeposits, and bind sediment which reduces erosion.Eastern Oyster ( Crassos trea virginica) Filter-feeding bivalve that forms clusters over the bottom where conditions are suitable mature at an early age with chain reaction spawning events by many individuals at the same time larvae start as free-swimming, then settle onto hard surfaces free of sediment buildup layers of large and small oysters with old shells provide surface areas for other animals to live. This community plays important roles in the transfer of organic matter and providing food for predators in the food web. The benthic community includes bottom-dwelling animals that glide or move over the sediment surface and those that live underground in wetland and shallow water habitats. Healthy, living oyster reef communities also provide shoreline protection, nutrient cycling and water quality improvement. Some are firmly attached while others crawl or swim between the oysters, shells and other attached organisms. Many animals live on and around oyster reefs. Oyster reefs provide vertical hard surfaces and spaces for attachment and shelter. A small-scale oyster reef is covered during high tides and exposed at low tides. The Oyster Reef and Benthic Community includes animals that live on or under the mud flat area of the salt marsh.
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