How do benthic organisms withstand moving water?
Many aquatic animals and plants spend part of their lives anchored to the substratum as water flows by. We have been studying the hydrodynamics of such sessile organisms to reveal the mechanisms by which they can affect the magnitude of the flow-induced forces they encounter in different habitats. We have also been studying body designs to analyze how they affect the distribution and magnitude of the mechanical stresses experienced when these organisms are subjected to hydrodynamic forces. In addition, we have been analyzing how the mechanical properties of the skeletal tissues of such organisms affect how much they deform and whether or not they break in response to flow-induced stresses. Our studies have focused on a variety of organisms (ranging from kelp and seagrasses to cnidarians and tunicates) living in diverse habitats (ranging from wave-swept rocky shores and coral reefs to estuaries).
