Growth and Mortality in an Arctic Intertidal Population of Macoma balthica (Pelecypoda, Tellinidae)

• Published in: Journal of the Fisheries Research Board of Canada
• Main Author: Green, Roger H.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Canadian Science Publishing 1973
• Subjects: General Medicine; Arctic; Hudson Bay; Hudson
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/f73-215; http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/f73-215

In an arctic intertidal environment on Hudson Bay, Macoma balthica have a higher growth rate at a tidal level of 1.1 m above mean low water than at the mean low water level, in terms of both length and dry weight. Temperature, rather than food, appears to be the primary proximate factor involved, and summer air temperatures play a major role. The estimated growth rates are comparable to reported growth rates for intertidal Macoma populations in Scotland and the Netherlands. A partial life table calculated from the death assemblage indicates that Macoma at 1.1 m above mean low water have an annual mortality which increases from about 20% at age 2 to about 50% at age 7 years.