Predator-prey interactions and how they influence the behaviour and morphology of the queen conch Strombus gigas for sea ranching

The doctoral study conducted by Ellen Sofie Grefsrud was carried out to investigate the defence capabilities in P. maximus of cultured and wild origin to better understand predator-prey interactions between crabs and scallops in culture (funded by The Res earch Council of Norway -project 137326). The Aquaculure Division, Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution (HBOI), Florida, USA, has offered Ellen Sofie Grefsrud a post doc position at HBOI, to study predator-prey interactions to improve sea ranching of t he queen conch Strombus gigas. HBOI has a Queen Conch Culture and Ranching Research Program with one of the specific goals that includes predator ? prey interactions and how they influence the behaviour and morphology of the queen conch for commercial ran ching, stock enhancement and reseeding conch into depleted habitats. Dr Ellen Sofie Grefsrud will contribute to the research by determing if the conch can be conditioned by the presence of a predator ? both to bury and also to gain shell strength. This wi ll be a behavioural ? morphological study with juvenile queen conch, Strombus gigas, and various predators (we have a choice of crabs, spiny lobster, octopus, gastropods and fish). Laboratory studies in established experimental facilities are planned ? an d the results will subsequently be used and tested in applied field studies.