Some effects of experimental procedure on settlement of ostrea lutaria hutton

Abstract

The effect of experimental method on the settlement pattern of Ostrea Iutaria was tested. The intensity of settlement differed with the type of settlement surface and the angle of the surface. The method of arranging the plates, in series or singly, was critical in determining the variation of spatfall with surface angle; the type of plate had no effect on this. Possibly, a factor such as turbulence differences within the plate units affecting free‐swimming larvae about to settle could account for the different settlement patterns but whether these could be caused by a reversal of iesponses or to some passive concentraton mechanism is unknown. Similar variation in experimental techniques probably accounts for most of the conflict in previous reports on the pattern of oyster settlement related to surface angle. © 1970 Taylor & Francis Ltd.