Chronobiology of Marine OrganismsDo intertidal organisms simply respond to the rise and fall of tides, or do they possess biological timing and navigation mechanisms that allow them to anticipate when conditions are most favourable? How are the patterns of growth, development and reproduction of some marine plants and animals related to changes in day-length or to phases of the moon? The author describes how marine organisms, from single cells to vertebrates, on sea shores, in estuaries and in the open ocean, have evolved inbuilt biological clockwork and synchronisation mechanisms which control rhythmic processes and navigational behaviour, permitting successful exploitation of highly variable and often hostile environments. Adopting a hypothesis-testing and experimental approach, the book is intended for undergraduate and postgraduate students of marine biology, marine ecology, animal behaviour, oceanography and other biological sciences and also as an introduction for researchers, including physiologists, biochemists and molecular biologists entering the field of chronobiology. |
Contents
| 1 | |
2 Biorhythms of coastal organisms | 16 |
3 Tidal and daily timecues | 42 |
4 Clocks and compasses | 65 |
5 Lunar and semilunar biorhythms | 89 |
6 Annual biorhythms | 116 |
7 Plankton vertical migration rhythms | 134 |
8 Staying put in estuaries | 150 |
9 Ocean drifters | 166 |
10 Living clockwork | 181 |
References | 211 |
| 234 | |
| 238 | |
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Common terms and phrases
adult algae amphipod appears Arechiga artificial tidal beach biological clock biorhythms burrowing Carcinus maenas Chapter circa-annual circadian rhythms circasemilunar circatidal rhythms clock genes coastal animals constant conditions copepods crab Carcinus maenas crustaceans cues daily day length depth earth endogenous entrainment environmental estuary Eurydice Eurydice pulchra expected high tide experiments exposed field Figure findings first fish fisheries five flood tides flow full moon hormone hypothesis influence intertidal isopods laboratory larvae light lobsters locomotor activity low tide lunar phase marine organisms mechanism melatonin moonlight moulting Naylor neap tides Nephrops night normal Norway lobster numbers occur ocean oscillations palolo pattern periodicity phase physiological plankton plankton species protein reflected release response rising tide salinity scientific seawater semilunar shore crab shore crab Carcinus spawning spring tides studies surface swimming synchronization Talitrus saltator temperature tidal clocks tidal cycle tidal memories tidal rhythms tidemarks tion variables vertical migration walking activity worms zoea zooplankton