Size metrics, longevity, and growth rates in Umbellula encrinus (Cnidaria: Pennatulacea) from the eastern Canadian Arctic.

Umbellula encrinus (Linnaeus, 1758) is a deep-water sea pen commonly found in the eastern Canadian Arctic. It can reach heights of >2 m, and it has often been caught as fishing bycatch. Here, we characterized abundance/density, size metrics, longevity, and growth rates of U. encrinus colonies fro...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Arctic Science
Main Authors: de Moura Neves, Bárbara, Edinger, Evan, Hayes, Vonda Wareham, Devine, Brynn, Wheeland, Laura, Layne, Graham
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: Canadian Science Publishing 2018
Subjects:
General Earth and Planetary Sciences
General Agricultural and Biological Sciences
General Environmental Science
Arctic
Baffin Bay
Canada
Greenland
Dyer
Jones Sound
Cape Dyer
Baffin
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/as-2018-0009
https://cdnsciencepub.com/doi/full-xml/10.1139/as-2018-0009
https://cdnsciencepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/as-2018-0009
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Summary:Umbellula encrinus (Linnaeus, 1758) is a deep-water sea pen commonly found in the eastern Canadian Arctic. It can reach heights of >2 m, and it has often been caught as fishing bycatch. Here, we characterized abundance/density, size metrics, longevity, and growth rates of U. encrinus colonies from Baffin Bay (between Greenland and Canada). No prevalent size classes were identified at most locations, except for Jones Sound and Cape Dyer, where small-size colonies dominated. Average number of growth rings in the internal skeleton (axis) of the examined colonies ranged between 2 and 68, with a maximum of 75. A bomb- 14 C analysis yielded 14 C curves comparable with those of other deep-water octocorals with annual ring formation. A trace element analysis of Mg/Ca, Sr/Ca, Ba/Ca, and Na/Ca yielded values oscillating along the axis radius, with the number of peaks and growth rings being comparable. Growth rates averaged 0.067 ± 0.015 mm year −1 (radial extension) and 4.5 ± 1.2 cm year −1 (linear extension), considering rings to be formed annually. Relationships between radial growth rates, depth, and surface salinity were weak but statistically significant. Umbellula encrinus is a long-lived species, vulnerable to various types of fishing gear, with a skeleton that stores biological and environmental information.

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