The purpose of this book is to present the state of knowledge concerning nutrition and point out directions for future work for the Echinodermata, an ancient group which shows great diversity in form and function, and whose feeding activities can have great environmental impact.

This work consists of seven plenary lectures read at an international conference in Tampa, USA.

The benthic flora of the limestone (20%) and sand (80%) substrates typical of intermediate depths on the west coast of Florida was sampled using quadrats over a three year period. Twenty seven taxa of macroscopic algae and one seagrass, Halophila decipiens, were collected. No plants were found during February of two consecutive years. The biomass and available energy ranged from 0 (winter) to 12.4 g dry weight and 128 kJ (summer) per 25 cm2 on the limestone outcroppings and from 0 to 4.4 g dry weight and 43 kJ for the sand substrate. The flora was seasonal with no dominant macroscopic algae occurring throughout the year. The flora of the intermediate depths is subjected to abiotic disturbances and is ruderal in nature. Thus, secondary production in the extensive intermediate depths along the west coast of Florida must depend more on the inshore, shallow water seagrass communities for primary production.

The research questions were used to solicit input from the stakeholders capable of partnering to design a change of culture to reduce injuries related to the social phenomenon of fire jumping. This result provides direction for the collaborative team to effectively address the issue of fire jumping and will be beneficial in reducing injuries due to this activity in the future.

The absorption efficiencies of the sea urchin Lytechinus variegatus (Lamarck) were calculated by an indicator method. Absorption efficiencies for total organic material, protein, lipid, and carbohydrate were highest with Halimeda incrassata Ellis as food (43 %, 65 %, 71 % and 35 %, respectively), and lowest with Eucheuma isiforme C. Agardh as food (-35%, -42%, -56% and -34%, respectively). Moderately positive absorption efficiencies for total organic material were found with Thalassia testudinum König & Sims and Ulva lactuca L. as food, and low positive absorption efficiencies for total organic material are found with Syringodium filiformis Kützing and Sargassum sp. as food. Absorption efficiencies of the sea urchin Strongylocentrotus purpuratus (Stimpson) (calculated from the literature) were much greater than those of Lytechinus for carbohydrate, but less for protein and lipid. Both sea urchins showed negative efficiencies for some nutrient fractions of their foods. The absorption index (mg nutrient fraction absorbed/g dry wt ingested) showed that Thalassia supplied the most protein and total organic material (43 mg/g dry wt ingested and 142 mg/g dry wt ingested, respectively). In general, the absorption indices indicate that Lytechinus obtains more protein and lipid, but less carbohydrate from its food than does Strongylocentrotus. In the field Lytechinus has primarily a detrital diet.