Publication Date
2017
Document Type
Thesis
Committee Members
James Amon (Committee Member), Volker Bahn (Committee Member), Rebecca Teed (Committee Member), Yvonne Vadeboncoeur (Advisor)
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
Abstract
Algivorous fish remove attached algae (periphyton) from the benthos in near shore areas of lakes. Periphyton has a complex three-dimensional structure dominated by Bacillariophyta (diatoms), Chlorophyta (green algae), and Cyanophyta (cyanobacteria). These three phyla vary in nutritional quality with diatoms providing essential fatty acids that consumers need for growth and reproduction. Selection of specific phyla may be driven by nutritional quality or it may be a function accessibility due to both mouth morphology of the fish and location of the algae in the periphyton community. I investigated whether Tropheus brichardi, an algivorous cichlid of Lake Tanganyika, selectivity feeds on periphyton and how their herbivory affects the periphyton community composition. I found that T. brichardi slightly selects for diatoms although it is unclear if that selection is driven by nutritional quality or accessibility. This slight selection for diatoms did not appear to affect community composition of the periphyton.
Page Count
50
Department or Program
Department of Biological Sciences
Year Degree Awarded
2017
Copyright
Copyright 2017, all rights reserved. My ETD will be available under the "Fair Use" terms of copyright law.
