Population dynamics of the bivalve Laternula elliptica from Potter Cove, King George Island, South Shetland Islands

• Published in: Antarctic Science
• Main Authors: Urban, H.-Jörg, Mercuri, Guillermo
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge University Press (CUP) 1998
• Subjects: Antarc*; Antarctic; Antarctic Science; Iceberg*; King George Island; South Shetland Islands
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0954102098000200; https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0954102098000200

Body size, geographical distribution and biomass make Laternula elliptica one of the most important bivalve species of the Antarctic. A complete study on the population dynamics (reproduction cycle, growth, mortality and productivity) of this species from King George Island gave growth parameters for the von-Bertalanffy-growth-function of: L ∞ = 112.2 mm, K = 0.160 yr 1 , t 0 = 0.000 yr. Total mortality was estimated as Z = 0.392 yr −1 . Somatic production and mean biomass of two distinct sub-populations were 8.7 and 67.3 g AFDW m −2 yr −1 at Beach & Glacier and 20.0 and 88.6 g AFDW m −2 yr −1 at Punta Elefante. The following P / B values were calculated; Beach & Glacier = 0.129, Punta Elefante = 0.226. It is suggested that these differences are linked to mortality caused by icebergs which is expected to be higher at the shallower Punta Elefante site.