Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
6381469 | Aquacultural Engineering | 2010 | 7 Pages |
Chlorophyll uptake was monitored in caged oysters (Crassostrea virginica) using in situ fluorometers. Cages were suspended in a dynamic water column environment and allowed to orient freely with the current. Current velocity inside the cages ranged from 1.8 to 11.7 cm sâ1. No evidence of feeding stress was found at peak current velocities, a result compatible with the ongoing development of suspended-culture practices. In summer, chlorophyll uptake was significantly (P < 0.05) and positively correlated with current velocity (r2 = 0.29-0.39), chlorophyll concentration (r2 = 0.43-0.51), and chlorophyll influx (r2 = 0.59-0.61). The positive nature of these relationships suggests that food supply was limiting in the suspended cages. In autumn, increased chlorophyll uptake was coupled to a developing algae bloom (rising influx); however, uptake fell before the bloom had fully developed.