Marine Biology Commons^™

Food-Limited Growth And Condition Index In The Eastern Oyster, Crassostrea Virginica (Gmelin, 1791), And The Bay Scallop, Argopecten Irradians Irradians (Lamarck, 1819), Michael A. Rice, Robert B. Rheault Jr.

Michael A Rice

The growth response of the eastern oyster, Crassostrea virginica, and the bay scallop, Argopecten irradians irradians, to varying degrees of food limitation was evaluated. Under conditions of low current speed, dense assemblages of shellfish can rapidly deplete ambient food concentrations, resulting in measurable effects on growth and condition index. A flume study demonstrated significant growth and condition index responses to resource competition after reductions as small as 27% in relatively high ambient food concentrations (—4.6 u.g/1 chlorophyll). Growth rates and condition index are linearly correlated with the average chlorophyll ration consumed. A field study demonstrated similar growth responses when the …