Energetics, Particle Capture and Growth Dynamics of Benthic Suspension Feeders

Marine benthic communities are dominated by suspension feeders, includingthose actively pumping water, passively encountering particles, or some combinationof the two. The mechanisms by which particles are encountered andretained are now well known for a range of water flow conditions and organismmorphologies. Recent research has attempted to quantify the energetic componentsof suspension feeding, including intake of particles, pumping rates, andmetabolic costs of these activities. Energetic models depend strongly on environmentalconditions, including temperature, flow speed, and food availability, forexample. The effects of these variables have been combined for realistic scenariosusing dynamic energy budget (DEB) models, and related models to examinecomponents of fitness (growth, reproduction, population increase), for bothexisting conditions and for conditions expected for future environments. Detailedexamples are provided from recent research on bivalve mollusks, cnidariansincluding sea anemones and corals, and barnacles. These examples cover severalmajor phyla that are often important components of intertidal and subtidal benthiccommunities. All common phyla of benthic suspension feeders are discussed,though less extensively, especially given the paucity of energetics studies forsome of these phyla.