Masterchronology on Arctica islandica from Spiekeroog

• Main Authors: Epplé, Valerie M, Brey, Thomas, Witbaard, Rob, Kuhnert, Henning, Pätzold, Jürgen
• Format: Dataset
• Language: English
• Published: PANGAEA 2006
• Subjects: Age; arctica-2002_01; BEAM; Beam trawl; Digital imaging; LTER_Benthos; Macrobenthic long-term series in the German Bight; ORDINAL NUMBER; Replicates; Spiekeroog; German Bight; North Sea; Standardized shell increment; standard deviation; Arctica islandica
• Online Access: https://doi.pangaea.de/10.1594/PANGAEA.723482; https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.723482

Sclerochronological records of interannual shell growth variability were established for eight modern shells (26 to 163 years of age) of the bivalve Arctica islandica, which were sampled at one site in the inner German Bight. The records indicate generally low synchrony between individuals. Spectral analysis of the whole 163-yr masterchronology indicated a cyclic pattern with a period of 5 and 7 years. The masterchronology correlated poorly to time series of environmental parameters over the last 90 years. High environmental variability in time and space of the dynamic and complex German Bight hydrographic system results in an extraordinarily high noise' level in the shell growth pattern of Arctica islandica.