Age and productivity of the Antarctic scallop, Adamussium colbecki, in Terra Nova Bay (Ross Sea, Antarctica)

Abstract

Body size, geographical distribution, and biomass make Adamussium colbecki (Smith, 1902) one of the most conspicuous bivalve species in the Antarctic. Based on samples collected in austral summer 1999/2000 in Terra Nova Bay, the annual formation of shell growth bands visible on X-ray photographs was verified by stable isotope analysis. A general von Bertalanffy growth function was fitted to size-at-age data of 25 individuals (H l = 108.86 mm, K = 0.114 year . Gonadal productivity amounted to 70.92 kJ m À 2 year À 1 . Annual somatic and gonad production-to-biomass ratios (P/B) were 0.199 and 0.052, respectively. According to its consumption and production, A. colbecki is likely to play a significant role in the trophic web of Terra Nova Bay. D

Temperature effects on summer growth rates in the Antarctic scallop, Adamussium colbecki

“…Our results confirm previous results based on a latitudinal comparison of annual rates (e.g. Harrington 1987;Heilmayer et al 2003Heilmayer et al , 2004). In contrast, an increased growth rate working against the limiting effects of cold temperature are widespread in fishes (Conover and Schultz 1995) and marine invertebrates, including copepods (Lonsdale and Levinton 1985), polychaetes (Levinton and Monahan 1983) and gastropods (Parsons 1997) (countergradient growth).…”

“…Growth rates at 0°C are in the range of data for adult individuals from Mc Murdo Sound (Berkman 1990). Hence, in contrast to annual growth rates (Heilmayer et al 2003), there is no evidence for age dependence in short-term growth rate as observed for other mollusc species (i.e. Sukhotin et al 2002).…”

“…Relationship between shell height and daily growth rate within juvenile Antarctic scallops maintained at two different temperatures. Growth estimates were obtained by increment determination after one, respectively, two weeks (circles: Group A1, 0°C, one week; dots: Group A2, 0°C, two weeks; squares: Group B, 3°C, one week) (Heilmayer et al 2003). Growth rates at 0°C are in the range of data for adult individuals from Mc Murdo Sound (Berkman 1990).…”

Age and growth in three populations of Dosinia exoleta (Bivalvia: Veneridae) from the Portuguese coast

“…In terms of intraspecific comparison, the only data available in the literature on the growth of D. exoleta lead to slightly higher OGP in Norway (P = 4.687) compared to the populations along the Portuguese coast (P = 4.374 in Aveiro to P = 4.597 in Faro). In general, worldwide comparisons highlight that OGP increases with decreasing latitude, in a general trend that is correlated with average annual seawater temperature (Heilmayer et al 2003). However, this trend was not observed in the case of D. exoleta since a higher OGP was determined for Norway compared to that obtained for the Portuguese populations.…”

“…Latitudinal trends in the physiological performance of marine invertebrates are commonly observed (Santos et al 2011). Latitude has no environmental meaning by itself, being a proxy of annual solar energy input that translates mainly into average annual seawater temperature (Heilmayer et al 2003), but also into primary production and related parameters. On a geographical scale, differences in growth rate of bivalves have been frequently associated with latitudinal gradients in seawater temperature.…”