Flow, food supply and acorn barnacle population dynamics

Abstract

The percentage of Semibalanus balanoides feeding increased with both flow speed and food concentrations, but was depressed at high temperatures. Moreover, within and among populations, variation in barnacle growth over a wide geographic area directly reflected corresponding variation in flow speed, food abundance, and water temperature. Flow effects on barnacles also had conspicuous population consequences. Since barnacle recruitment and growth are both enhanced at high flow speeds, barnacle density-dependent dynamics may often be strongly affected by flow conditions. -from Authors