|
|
All diets in the experiments were fed to three mussel size classes (small: 30 - 35 mm, medium: 50 - 55 mm, and large 70 - 75 mm). The team found that differences in faecal deposit characteristics are minimal within small mussel sizes, but become more significant as mussel lengths increase (50 mm to 75 mm). Absorption efficiencies of mix algal, diatom, salmon feed and salmon faces, were 87, 81, 90, and 86% (all significantly different, p < 0.05) respectively. Regardless of diet, small mussels produced biodeposits that dispersed over larger areas than those produced by larger mussels as a function of sinking velocity: small 0.18 cm sec-1, medium 0.29 cm sec-1 and large 0.54 cm sec-1 (sinking velocity of 50 % of particles).
|