xii, 148 p. : ill. A print copy of this thesis is available through the UO Libraries. Search the library catalog for the location and call number. / The gumboot chiton Cryptochiton stelleri is the largest intertidal invertebrate herbivore on rocky shores in the Pacific Northwest. This study documented the larval development, metamorphosis, distribution and life history of this species. Growth rings in valves of Cryptochiton stelleri and Katharina tunicata were used to determine age and showed life spans of at least 40 years for C. stelleri and 17 years for K. tunicata. Field surveys in southern Oregon showed that C. stelleri populations are densest in small coves as a result of mortality, food availability, or larval retention. Growth curves based on length, weight and volume were created for several intertidal invertebrates. When incorporated into energy allocation models, length-based curves can underestimate growth and exaggerate an energetic shift from growth to reproduction. Estimates of food intake and reproductive output showed that continuous growth leads to higher food intake and increased fecundity in several organisms with indeterminate growth. / Committee in Charge: Dr. Alan L. Shanks, Chair; Dr. Cynthia D. Trowbridge; Dr. Richard B. Emlet

<p>  </p> <p>Many engineering structures are designed to withstand a critical mechanical load before failure. When a load greater than the critical load is encountered, the manner of structural failure is important. Nature has been a source of technical inspiration for centuries, and the power of modern scientific investigative techniques has enhanced engineers’ abilities to learn from millennia of evolutionary mechanical refinement. </p> <p>Chitons, a family of marine mollusks, feed on algae attached to rocky substrates, and parts of their feeding organs are subjected to varied loads in the process. In this work, the manner of failure of a chiton’s tooth and supporting structure is investigated, and it is suggested that mechanical details of the structure enable load-limiting and fail-safe performance that protects the animal from potentially dangerous overloading.</p>