Life history and production of Capitella capitata (Polychaeta: Capitellidae) in Río de la Plata Estuary (Argentina)
A benthic survey was carried out from November1998 to December 1999 in the tidal flats of BahíaSamborombón (Río de la Plata estuary, Argentina),in order to study the population structure,reproductive aspects, growth and secondaryproduction of Capitella capitata (Fabricius, 1780).Growth was analyzed using ELEFAN routine, andthe secondary production was estimated by Hynesand Coleman's method (1968). C. capitata did notpresent periods of very important recruitmentsthroughout the year; however, the abundance ofsmallest size classes was higher during summer andautumn. The summer cohort showed a growth rate(K) of 2.05 and a seasonal growth oscillation (C) of0.6, pointing out that worms grew very slowlyduring winter months. The life span of this cohortwas 13 months. The autumn cohort showed a lowergrowth rate (K= 1.5) and its growth was lowestduring winter. The life span was 15 months for thiscohort. C. capitata in Punta Rasa presented anextended reproductive period, with absence ofactivity during winter months. The type of eggs andlarvae suggest that C. capitata has benthic larvaldevelopment in the study area, destining its reproductive effort to the production of a low number of eggs, and assuring larvae survival through incubation in brooding tubes. The annual mean biomass in Punta Rasa was 0.117 g m-2 (AFDW), with a mean secondary production of 0.23 g m-2 y-1 and a P/B ratio of 1.96 y-1. The relatively low density, biomass production and P/B ratio of C.capitata in Punta Rasa can be considered as reference values for this species inhabiting undisturbed or moderately disturbed areas.
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | article biblioteca |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
2006
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| Subjects: | Aquaculture, Biology, Oceanography, |
| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/1834/26646 |
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