<p> Large high density populations, up to 3,000/m^2 of the bivalve
Macoma balthica inhabit the muddy intertidal areas in the Bay of Fundy,
Nova Scotia. The fecal pellets produced by Macoma b. are resistant
to breakdown. Off Spencer's Point, the pellets are transported via
small intertidal channels away from the shore onto a sand bar, at
low tide. At high tide the channels act as traps for fecal pellets.
The pellets breakdown over the sand bar at high tide, but a large proportion
of the pellet remains in suspension as a mucous bound mud
agglomerate. In an area of 2000 Macoma b./m^2, the rate of fecal pellet
production is approximately 1 Kg dry wt/m^2/yr. </p> <p> The rate of pseudofecal production increases with water turbidity.
The rate of sediment reprocessing is approximately 9 Kg dry wt. of
sediment/m^2/yr., or a layer of wet sediment approximately 3.3 cm. deep. </p> <p> The Macoma b. in Cobequid Bay are largely deposit feeding. In
areas of high population density and coarser sediment, this depletes
the surface of sediment mud and fine sand. The influx of sediment
necessary to sustain such a population is, in part, pseudofecal material
from Macoma b. populations higher on the mud flats. </p> / Thesis / Bachelor of Arts (BA)
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:mcmaster.ca/oai:macsphere.mcmaster.ca:11375/20144 |
| Date | 05 1900 |
| Creators | Moffat, James |
| Contributors | Risk, M. J., Geology |
| Source Sets | McMaster University |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
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