Life Sciences Commons^™

Settlement And Early Post-Settlement Survival Of Sessile Marine Invertebrates On Topographically Complex Surfaces: The Importance Of Refuge Dimensions And Adult Morphology, Linda J. Walters, David S. Wethey

Faculty Publications

We predicted that both refuge dimension and growth form would influence settlement and short-term post-settlement success (≤7 d) of sessile marine invertebrates that live attached to hard substrata in low energy environments. Individuals with unlimited attachment to the substrata should rapidly be protected by their growth form, thus decreasing their need to settle in refuges and limiting the length of time any locations on heterogeneous substrata act as refuges. Alternatively, organisms with limited attachment to the substrata should remain susceptible to the causes of mortality for a longer time, and as a result should settle in high quality refuges (sites …