Population densities of the mud snail Ilyanassa obsoleta were manipulated in caging experiments on a salt marsh mudflat and in laboratory microcosms. Mud snails outcompete nematodes for food resources, but may increase resources available to deposit feeding groups. Mud snails reduce annelid (polychaete and oligochaete) populations by substrate disruption. Reduced annelid densities provide the nematode community with some release from predation and competition. In mudflat sediments, the nematode community responds to both primary (predation) and secondary (envirorm1ental release, food competition) interactions. Multiple levels of interactive coupling should be considered in any systems level investigation in this habitat.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:wm.edu/oai:scholarworks.wm.edu:etd-2654 |
| Date | 01 January 1982 |
| Creators | Ludwig, David |
| Publisher | W&M ScholarWorks |
| Source Sets | William and Mary |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Source | Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects |
| Rights | © The Author |
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