Anthopleura xanthogrammica Behavior Studied Utilizing Time-Lapse Photography
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Date
2013-11
Authors
Reiser, Shannon
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of Oregon
Abstract
Animals living in a habitat affected by both tidal shifts and day night cycles
display a wide variety of behaviors influenced by environmental factors and internal
mechanisms. Sessile intertidal invertebrates exhibit extremely slow or subtle behaviors
not noticeable during casual observation. This study aimed to observe, analyze, and
describe the behaviors associated with the tidal and circadian rhythms of Anthopleura
xanthogrammica, giant green anemones, in a tide pool at South Cove, Cape Arago State
Park, Oregon. Time lapse video captured using a GoPro camera at a low- to mid-tidal
range were used to test the hypothesis A. xamlzogrammica opens on incoming tides.
Percent open data were collected from videos and these data were used to evaluate the
percentage of animals open in different light conditions. I also examined the data for
individual sea anemones to determine if there were individual tendencies. The data
suggest that there is a correlation between height of tide and anemone openness. As the
tide rises fewer anemones are closed. Additionally the data suggest that anemones are
more likely to be closed in direct sunlight. Furthermore, there is a slight, but
insignificant difference in average time spent 100% open for each anemone. The most
dramatic shifts in behavior occurred in the presence of direct sunlight.
Description
27 pages. A thesis presented to the Department of Biology and the Clark Honors College of the University of Oregon in partial fulfillment of the requirements for degree of Bachelor of Science, Fall 2013.
Keywords
Invertebrates, Cnidaria, Animal Behavior, Time-lapse Photography, Intertidal, Circadian Rhythms