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: Bárbara de Moura Neves, Evan Edinger, Vonda Wareham Hayes, Brynn Devine, Laura Wheeland, Graham Layne
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
French
Published: Canadian Science Publishing 2018
Subjects:
deep-water corals
size distribution
growth rings
radiocarbon analysis
trace element analysis
Environmental sciences
GE1-350
Environmental engineering
TA170-171
Arctic
Baffin Bay
Canada
Greenland
Dyer
Jones Sound
Cape Dyer
Baffin
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1139/as-2018-0009
https://doaj.org/article/bc1313d303a34f2ca3fdf1f16870fb26
Description
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-14C analysis yielded 14C 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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