Sediment tolerance of Sargassum algae inhabiting sediment-covered rocky reefs

Although sediment deposition has detrimental effects on macroalgal settlement and recruitment, fucoid algae (mainly Sargassum duplicatum) thrive on rocky reefs always overlaid with fine sediments in sheltered sites of Kagoshima, Japan. The aim of the present study was to assess their ability to settle and recruit onto sediment-covered substrata. A transplant experiment using boulders with Sargassum juveniles attached showed that the 30-day survival rate was as high as 50% even for the juvenile stage (<10 mm) on boulders completely buried with sediment. In addition, an outdoor tank experiment testing the effects of different sediment thicknesses (0–4 mm) on already settled 4-day old S. duplicatum germlings indicated significant reductions in growth by the presence of sediment cover even at 0.5 mm but no significant increase in mortality up to 2 mm. Furthermore, an in situ experiment in which sterilized cobbles were placed at a sediment-covered site to allow sediment to settle over them before the embryo release showed a uniformly high recruitment of Sargassum over the cobbles. This suggests the presence of unknown mechanisms to allow the settlement of propagules on substrata thinly but completely covered by fine sediments.     

Impact of the polychaete Capitella sp. I on microbial activity in an organic-rich marine sediment contaminated with the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon fluoranthene

Polychaetes belonging to the genus Capitella are often present in high numbers in organic-rich sediments polluted with, e.g., oil components, and Capitella spp. may have a great impact on the biogeochemistry of these sediments. We examined the influence of Capitella sp. I on microbial activity in an organic-rich marine sediment contaminated with the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon, fluoranthene. Capitella sp. I were added to microcosms (10 000 ind m⁻²) and the impact of a pulse-sedimentation of fluoranthene-contaminated sediment (3 mm layer) was studied for a period of 12 d after sedimentation. The sediment oxygen uptake and total sediment metabolism (TCO₂ production) increased in cores with worms (71 to 131%), whereas the anaerobic activity, measured as sulfate reduction rate 12 d after sedimentation, was lower compared to cores without worms. The effect of fluoranthene on sulfate reduction was most pronounced in the presence of worms, with a 34% reduction versus 16% in cores without worms. The reduced sulfur pools in cores with worms were smaller than in cores without worms, suggesting that the reduced anaerobic activity was caused by increased oxidation of the sediment, which may favor O₂ and other electron-acceptors (e.g. NO₃ ⁻, Fe³⁺, Mn⁴⁺) in organic matter decomposition. The sediment oxygen uptake and TCO₂ production did not show significant changes due to fluoranthene treatment, indicating that these parameters were either less sensitive to fluoranthene stress or recovered more rapidly (i.e. within 48 h) than sulfate reduction rates. Bioturbation by Capitella sp. I altered the depth profile of fluoranthene such that fluoranthene was found in deeper sediment layers (down to 2 cm) where diffusional loss and microbial breakdown probably are reduced relative to surface layers. In cores without worms, fluoranthene was found down to 1 cm, with 75% remaining in the upper 5 mm. Received: 5 December 1996 / Accepted: 11 February 1997     

Distribution and seasonal abundance of Polygordius spp. (Class: Polychaeta; Family: Polygordiidae) exo- and endolarvae in the southern Mid-Atlantic Bight,USA

The importance life history plays in understanding population dynamics and the functional roles of species for predicting climate change scenarios are well established. Yet, in the marine environment, the complete life history is unknown for many species, especially the link between morphologically and ecologically distinct planktonic larvae, and their corresponding benthic adult forms. Integration of meroplankton abundance, benthic adult species, larval morphology, and molecular data was employed to unravel the complete life history of Polygordius, a dominant polychaete in sandy shelf sediments of the Mid-Atlantic Bight. Polygordius species are unusual, having two distinct planktonic larval forms: an exolarva and an endolarva. Extensive sampling in the southern Mid-Atlantic Bight with careful preservation of meroplankton (2006–2007) revealed the identity of multiple stages of exo- and endolarvae, and their spatial, seasonal, and vertical distribution. Molecular and morphological evidence indicated exolarvae are Polygordius jouinae and endolarva are an undescribed species. Structure and development of these larvae differed greatly. P. jouinae exolarvae were found off Delaware Bay to North Carolina. At some stations, they were abundant, with densities up to 4,013 m^?3, comprising >90 % of the total meroplankton. Exolarvae spent up to a month in the plankton starting in March/May depending on year, settlement began in July when larvae were at least 2 mm in length, and by October were no longer observed in the plankton. These findings are consistent with the distribution patterns and life cycle known for adults. This is the first report of endolarvae north of Cape Hatteras.     

Heterogeneous population growth, parental effects and genotype–environment interactions of a marine oligochaete

Cultures of asexually reproducing populations of the oligochaete Paranaislitoralis (Müller) collected from six different patches (3 to 50 m apart) on an intertidal mud flat in Flax Pond, New York, on two occasions, June and October 1993, showed significant differences among lines in life span, number of offspring produced, and in finite rate of increase (λ). Although growth rates were significantly lower in October than in June, they were always positive (λ > 1) in the laboratory cultures reared in field-collected sediment, while field data show that the densities of P. litoralis decreased sharply in summer and autumn from a seasonal high in early June. Cultures of worms reared at high densities without renewal of sediment crashed, and effects on individuals were irreversible: worms from late (declining) stages of population growth had a significantly higher mortality and lower reproduction than worms from earlier stages, also when transferred to high-quality food. Genetical analysis using RAPDs (random amplified polymorphic DNA) confirmed the existence of several clones of P. litoralis in our cultures. Experiments where parent and offspring were cultured in sediments of different qualities showed clone–environment interactions in the number of asexual offspring produced, but not in age at first reproduction. Clones also differed in that some showed significant parental effects of sediment quality on life-history characteristics while other clones did not. Our results indicate that P.litoralis populations in Flax Pond are not an example of a population subdivided into a set of permanent source and sink subpopulations, but rather an example of a continuously shifting mosaic of local growth conditions. Received: 21 April 1997 / Accepted: 3 September 1997     

Settlement, recruitment and potential predators and competitors of juvenile echinoderms in the rocky subtidal zone

Recruitment patterns of marine invertebrates are affected both by settlement and early post-settlement events. This study examined the settlement and recruitment patterns of echinoderms at three sites in the rocky subtidal zone of Bocabec Cove, Bay of Fundy, Canada using artificial turf collectors and quadrats on the natural substrate. Potential predators were quantified at two of the sites along transects and in 1-m² quadrats. Both potential predators and competitors were quantified in 0.0625-m² quadrats. Settlement varied across sites (1.5–3 km apart) and two years of sampling (2004, 2005). The site of most potential settlement differed for the three groups of echinoderms: sea urchins (Strongylocentrotus droebachiensis), sea stars (Asterias spp.) and sea cucumber (Psolus fabricii). Settlement densities on the artificial turf collectors tended to be greater than the densities of settlers on the natural substrate. On the natural substrate, the only significant difference between densities of juveniles over time was that newly settled sea stars were found in July and were not found the following October. Large lobsters and carnivorous worms were potential predators with densities that varied between sites. Potential competitors that differed in abundance between sites were herbivorous gastropods and conspecifics for sea urchins; and carnivorous worms for sea stars. This study suggests that patterns of recruitment are either set up by patterns of settlement or by events during the first few weeks/months on the benthic substrate for these echinoderms.     

Settlement of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Macoma balthica</Emphasis> larvae in response to benthic diatom films

The role of multi-species benthic diatom films (BDF) in the settlement of late pediveliger larvae of the bivalve Macoma balthica was investigated in still-water bioassays and multiple choice flume experiments. Axenic diatom cultures that were isolated from a tidal mudflat inhabited by M. balthica were selected to develop BDF sediment treatments characterized by a different community structure, biomass, and amount of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS). Control sediments had no added diatoms. Although all larvae settled and initiated burrowing within the first minute after their addition in still water, regardless of treatment, only 48–52% had completely penetrated the high diatom biomass treatments after 5 min, while on average 80 and 69% of the larvae had settled and burrowed into the control sediments and BDF with a low diatom biomass (<3.5 μg Chl a g⁻¹ dry sediment), respectively. The percentage of larvae settling and burrowing into the sediment was negatively correlated with the concentration of Chl a and EPS of the BDF. This suggests higher physical resistance to bivalve penetration by the BDF with higher diatom biomass and more associated sugar and protein compounds. The larval settlement rate in annular flume experiments at flow velocities of 5 and 15 cm s⁻¹ was distinctly lower compared to the still-water assays. Only 4.6–5.8% of the larvae were recovered from BDF and control sediments after 3 h. Nonetheless, a clear settlement preference was observed for BDF in the flume experiments; i.e., larvae settled significantly more in BDF compared to control sediments irrespective of flow speed. Comparison with the settlement of polystyrene mimics and freeze-killed larvae led to the conclusion that active selection, active secondary dispersal and, at low flow velocities (5 cm s⁻¹), passive adhesion to the sediment are important mechanisms determining the settlement of M. balthica larvae in estuarine biofilms.     

Kinetics of trace metal accumulation and excretion in the polychaete <Emphasis Type="Italic">Nereis diversicolor</Emphasis>

The comparative kinetics of the accumulation of the trace metals copper, zinc and cadmium have been measured in the estuarine burrowing polychaete worm Nereis (Hediste) diversicolor from two sites: (a) a metal-rich site, Restronguet Creek, Cornwall, UK, which hosts a copper- and zinc-tolerant population of worms, and (b) the Blackwater estuary, Essex, UK as a control site. A sediment transfer experiment showed that the Blackwater worms responded to the increased copper bioavailability in Restronguet Creek sediment by accumulating significantly increasing copper concentrations over 50 days. The Restronguet Creek worms showed no significant change in copper concentration over 50 days in sediment from either site or in sand. Nevertheless, electron microscopy showed that some Restronguet Creek worms do appear to excrete accumulated copper, probably in association with renewal of the cuticle over a long time scale. The Blackwater worms did not accumulate extra zinc from the zinc-rich Restronguet Creek sediment, in probable reflection of the regulation of body zinc concentration by N. diversicolor. Radiolabelled zinc and cadmium were accumulated from labelled sediment and labelled solution by worms from both sites. The rate of uptake of labelled zinc from sediment was significantly greater in the Restronguet Creek worms, as was the rate of uptake of labelled cadmium from 10 μg l⁻¹ dissolved exposure; other rates of uptake did not differ between populations. Mucus, which is secreted by Restronguet Creek worms in response to enhanced copper exposure, adsorbed very small proportions of zinc and cadmium present in solution, indicating that the mucus does not act as an adsorption barrier against excessive metal uptake by these worms.     

Tube-building by a marine meiobenthic harpacticoid copepod

Pseudostenhelia wellsi Coull and Fleeger is a meiobenthic harpacticoid copepod inhabiting muddy, estuarine sediments. All individuals observed, and all ages including nauplii, build and inhabit elongate, mucous tubes which may extend to a depth of 3.9 mm into the sediment. Many of the narrow tubes, 0.27 mm in diameter, have a tube-cap extending 0.32 mm above the sediment-water interface. The tubes are a matrix of fine silt, sand and detritus cemented with a mucopolysaccharide, as shown by the Periodic Acid Schiff stain, apparently secreted from glands in the ventrolateral margin of the cephalothorax. Upon addition to sterile, homogeneous sediment, P. wellsi quickly (within 1 to 2 h) transform the upper 0.4 cm to a cohesive conglomerate of tubes, silt-clay particles and mucous filaments.     

Population dynamics and growth of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Nassarius reticulatus </Emphasis>(Gastropoda: Nassariidae) in Rhosneigr (Anglesey,UK)

Seasonal changes in catch rate, growth and mortality of Nassarius reticulatus from an intertidal lagoon and a wave-exposed beach at Rhosneigr (Anglesey, North Wales, UK) are described. The number of N. reticulatus caught in baited traps from the lagoon was significantly higher (>125 individuals trap⁻¹) during the summer (>18°C), than at <12°C (<65 individuals trap⁻¹), and the numbers caught in the lagoon were an order of magnitude greater than on the beach, >13 individuals trap⁻¹ in July (>16°C), and <5 individuals trap⁻¹ between December and April (<9.5°C). Predictions of shell growth attained by N. reticulatus annually in the lagoon using graphical modal progression analysis (MPA) of length frequency data, were similar to the growth of marked and recaptured lagoon N. reticulatus. Predictions of shell growth using computerised length frequency distribution analysis (LFDA), however, did not reflect the growth as accurately as MPA. Modal progression analysis demonstrated that N. reticulatus from the lagoon achieved a higher asymptotic maximum shell length (L _∞) and a lower growth constant (K) than animals from the beach. Shell growth was seasonal with growth of the lagoon individuals slowing down towards the end of September and resuming in early April, about a month later than the beach individuals. Mortality of N. reticulatus was greater during the summer, and survival was lower in the lagoon than on the beach. Recruitment patterns were similar in the lagoon and on the beach, and MPA and LFDA predicted that larval N. reticulatus settled between late summer and early autumn, with juveniles (7–8.9 mm) appearing in the population the following year, between February and April. Growth of male and female N. reticulatus in the laboratory was similar and was temperature and size dependent. The different growth patterns between N. reticulatus from the two habitats, predicted using MPA, were maintained when individuals were reared under laboratory conditions for ∼6 months; N. reticulatus <21 mm from the beach grew faster than individuals from the lagoon, although N. reticulatus >21 mm from the lagoon grew faster and attained a larger length (26 mm) than individuals from the beach (24 mm). Low food availability did not affect N. reticulatus survival in the laboratory but significantly suppressed shell growth.     

Spawning and larval development of the black turban snail Tegula funebralis (Prosobranchia: Trochidae)

An understanding of spawning and larval development can be fundamental to interpreting the abundance, distribution, and population structure of marine invertebrate taxa. Tegula funebralis (A. Adams, 1855), the black turban snail, has been the focus of numerous ecological studies on the Pacific coast of North America. To date, there are only conflicting and anecdotal reports of spawning, and there is no information on larval or juvenile development for this conspicuous and abundant species. On 19 September 1995, two individuals of T. funebralis were observed free-spawning gametes into seawater in tanks at the Oregon Institute of Marine Biology. Embryos and larvae were subsequently reared to metamorphosis and beyond. Development was pelagic and similar to development described for other trochids, and larvae were observed not to feed at any stage. Larvae began to metamorphose at 5.7 to 6.7 d and settled at 260 μm shell length. Juveniles grew ≃ 10 μm in shell length per day and appeared to feed on detritus. Juveniles lacked some adult diagnostic shell characters, including two columellar nodes and a closed umbilicus. In the field, small (<3 mm) juveniles occurred in the adult habitat on all sampling dates between October and March. Small juveniles were found only under rocks and were most abundant under rocks partially buried in coarse sand, suggesting that juveniles may utilize a specific microhabitat within the adult T. funebralis habitat. Received: 7 October 1996 / Accepted: 17 October 1996     

Spatial repartition and ontogenetic shifts in habitat use by coral reef fishes (Moorea,French Polynesia)

This study explores the extent to which ontogenetic habitat shifts modify spatial patterns of fish established at settlement in the Moorea Island lagoon (French Polynesia). The lagoon of Moorea Island was divided into 12 habitat zones (i.e. coral seascapes), which were distinct in terms of depth, wave exposure, and substratum composition. Eighty-two species of recently settled juveniles were recorded from March to June 2001. Visual censuses documented changes in the distribution of juveniles of each species over time among the 12 habitats. Two patterns of juvenile habitat use were found among species. Firstly, some species settled and remained in the same habitat until the adoption of the adult habitats (i.e. recruitment; e.g. Chaetodon citrinellus, Halichoeres hortulanus, Rhinecanthus aculeatus). Secondly, others settled to several habitats and then disappeared from some habitats through differential mortality and/or post-settlement movement (e.g. 65–70 mm size class for Ctenochaetus striatus, 40–45 mm size class for Epinephelus merra, 50–55 mm size class for Scarus sordidus). A comparison of the spatial distribution of juveniles to that of adults (61 species recorded at both stages) illustrated four patterns of subsequent recruitment in habitat use: (1) an increase in the number of habitats used during the adult stage (e.g. H. hortulanus, Mulloidichthys flavolineatus); (2) a decrease in the number of habitats adults used compared to recently settled juveniles (e.g. Chrysiptera leucopoma, Stethojulis bandanensis); (3) the use of different habitat types (e.g. Acanthurus triostegus, Caranx melampygus); and (4) no change in habitat use (e.g. Naso litturatus, Stegastes nigricans). Of the 20 most abundant species recorded in Moorea lagoon, 12 species modified the spatial patterns established at settlement by an ontogenetic habitat shift.Communicated by T. Ikeda, Hakodate     

Habitat use,urea production and spawning in the gulf toadfish <Emphasis Type="Italic">Opsanus beta</Emphasis>

Field studies were conducted in Johnson Key Basin, Florida Bay, USA from September 2002 through September 2004 to examine physiological, ecological, and behavioral characteristics of the gulf toadfish, Opsanus beta (Goode and Bean in Proc US Natl Mes 3:333–345, 1880), in relation to nitrogen metabolism, habitat usage, and spawning. Fish collected 5 cm above sediments in experimental shelters (epibenthic) were compared with those collected by throw traps which were found on or burrowing within sediments. The relationship between microhabitat ammonia and urea excretion, as determined by the enzymatic activity of glutamine synthetase (GS), was examined. The hypothesis tested was that O. beta occupying epibenthic nests were less ureotelic with lower GS activities than non-nesting individuals on/in sediments, due to a decreased environmental ammonia burden. Porewater total ammonia (T _Amm) concentrations at a sediment depth of 5 cm, i.e., the approximate depth of burrowing toadfish, ranged from 0 to 106.5 μmol N l⁻¹ while the pH ranged from 7.48 to 9.14. There was a weak but significant correlation between environmental ammonia (NH₃) concentration and hepatic GS activity for epibenthic toadfish (P < 0.001, r ² = 0.10), but not for burrowing toadfish. Mean urea-N and T _Amm concentrations within shelters occupied by toadfish (n = 281) were 9.8 ± 0.83 μmol N l⁻¹ and 13.0 ± 0.7 μmol N l⁻¹, respectively. As predicted, hepatic GS activity was significantly lower in epibenthic toadfish captured in shelters (4.40 ± 0.24 μmol min⁻¹ g⁻¹; n = 281) as compared to individuals on/in sediments (6.61 ± 0.47 μmol min⁻¹ g⁻¹; n = 128). Glutamine synthetase activity generally peaked in March (spawning season) and was lowest in July. Gender differences in hepatic and branchial GS activity were also found during the spawning season, which is attributable to the fact that males brood and guard offspring in their epibenthic nests while females often rest on or burrow into the sediments. Finally, hepatic and branchial GS appeared to have different patterns of enzymatic activity suggesting functional differences in gene expression.     

Potential of bivalves' secondary settlement differs with species: a comparison between cockle (Cerastoderma edule) and clam (Ruditapes philippinarum) juvenile resuspension

Juvenile bivalves may be dispersed by entering a bysso-pelagic phase where they drift through the water mass aided by a long thread. The ability to resuspend and control the specific weight in two bivalve species, the cockle Cerastoderma edule (L.) and the Japanese clam Ruditapes philippinarum (Adams and Reeves), was documented with juveniles through flume and still-water experiments. Cockle juveniles initially placed on an unsuitable substratum were exposed to two shear velocities (u _*). At the end of the experiment, 42 (±15)% (for u _*=0.51 cm s⁻¹) and 79 (±9)% (for u _*=0.99 cm s⁻¹) of individuals were retrieved from the sand area which represents only 8% of the total flume surface. Most juveniles (70.5%) with shell lengths <2.5 mm migrated from the unsuitable Plexiglas substratum to the sand array by resuspension in the water column. The percentage was lower (21.5%) for larger individuals. The same experimental design was applied to clams, which immediately adhered to the Plexiglas substratum and remained attach to it. Sinking rates of live and dead specimens of both species were measured in a 1 m long transparent PVC tube. Cockle fall velocities showed severe deceleration, probably due to byssus secretion (up to 15-fold slower than dead cockles), sometimes interrupted by brutal acceleration probably due to byssal rupture. Cockles were able to reduce their sinking rate for shell lengths up to 4.25 mm. By contrast, clam sinking rates were constant, and similar to dead clam sinking rates. Specific weights of all experimental juveniles were calculated in relation to their lengths, and their passive motion into the boundary layer was theoretically assessed with Shields curve. In short, C. edule and R. philippinarum can both exhibit dense populations in the field with a good capacity to colonize, although juveniles display different abilities to resuspend in the water column. Received: 27 January 1997 / Accepted: 13 February 1997     

Sediment characterisation of the 26 December 2004 Indian ocean tsunami in Andaman group of islands, bay of Bengal, India

The large tsunami, which was generated by an earthquake on 26 December 2004, affected most of the countries around the Indian Ocean. A total of 48 tsunamigenic surface sediments have been collected from various coastal geomorphological features such as beaches, estuaries/creeks and mangrove areas in the Andaman group of islands. These samples were analysed for sediment characteristics such as sediment texture, granulometric studies. The studied tsunamigenic sediments, deposited by the 26 December 2004 tsunami in the Andaman group of islands consist of poorly sorted, coarse sand to medium sands, and are similar to depositional effects of previously reported earthquake-generated tsunami waves. The tsunamigenic sediment consists of a coarse sand layer with abundant reworked shell and other carbonate fragments. The tsunami sediments were mainly composed of boulders of corals and sand which determines the high-energy environment throughout the study area. The variation in Ф mean size, therefore, reveals the differential energy conditions that lead to the deposition of these kinds of sediments in different locations. The tsunamigenic sediments were mainly poorly sorted, moderately well sorted and well sorted during the post-tsunami (2005) and whereas they were mainly moderately well sorted to well sorted during the post-monsoon (2008). The symmetry of the samples varies from strongly fine skewed to strongly very coarse skewed in the post-tsunami (2005) and post-monsoon (2008). The Kurtosis of the tsunami sediments were mainly Platykurtic, Mesokurtic and Lepokurtic during the post-tsunami (2005) and mainly Mesokurtic and Lepokurtic in post-monsoon (2008).     

Effect of the spionid polychaeteBoccardia syrtis on the distribution and survival of juvenileMacomona liliana (Bivalvia: Tellinacea)

The tellinid bivalveMacomona liliana (Iredale) occurs at relatively low densities on a sandbank (Te Tau bank) in Manukau Harbour, New Zealand. Te Tau bank is dominated by polychaetes, including the tube-building spionidBoccardia syrtis (Rainer). JuvenileM. liliana are known to disperse as post-settlement juveniles by byssus-drifting. Laboratory experiments were conducted to assess whether the low abundance ofM. liliana on Te Tau bank was due to the presence ofB. syrtis, or to some reaction to the sediment itself. In particular, we, examined how juvenileM. liliana survived after exposure to Te Tau bank sediments with and without the spionid tube-mat for 1 mo in still-water conditions, and how they responded when given a choice of different sediment/tube-mat treatments in moving water. JuvenileM. liliana did not appear to have a strong aversion to settling and burrowing in sediments from Te Tau bank. Sediments without the tube-mat did not adversely affect the survivorship of the bivalves, but survival was significantly lower amongst theB. syrtis tube-mat. In the presence of a current, the juvenile bivalves settled in Te Tau bank sediments without a tube-mat, but avoided settling amongst liveB. syrtis. An artificial tube-mat enhanced settlement. Avoidance of liveB. syrtis appears to be an avoidance of the worms themselves rather than a response to the physical presence of their tubes.     

Sediment processing in Capitella spp. (Polychaeta: Capitellidae): strain-specific differences and effects of the organic toxicant fluoranthene

The effects of the widespread polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) fluoranthene on sediment-processing rates in the infaunal polychaete Capitella spp. were investigated by comparing five populations of this deposit-feeding species complex: Capitella sp. I from New York, USA; Capitella sp. M from Milos, Greece; Capitella sp. S from Sylt, Germany; and two unidentified Capitella populations from salmon farm sediments –Capitella population K from Kilmelford, Scotland and Capitella population C from Cranford, Ireland. Replicate worms from each strain were exposed to 0, 10, and 95 μg (g dry wt sediment)⁻¹ fluoranthene (=μg/g fluoranthene) for a period of 16 days. Initial and final wet and dry weights (mg) of worms and worm-specific growth rates (WSGRs) were calculated. Sediment processing was measured as the sum of the total dry weight of pellets produced during the experiment, and we estimated size-specific processing rates (SSPRs) as a measure of sediment processed per mg worm dry weight per day. The five populations of Capitella spp. differed significantly in body size, WSGR, and sediment-processing rates. Capitella sp. I grew faster than all of the other populations. Capitella population C and Capitella population K from fish farm sediments, with the largest body lengths (up to 52.0 ± 27.2 mm), had the highest processing rates, whereas the small Capitella sp. S (up to 17.1 ± 5.6 mm) had the lowest. There were also significant differences in SSPR among populations with Capitella sp. I having a higher SSPR (about 12 × body wt/day) than Capitella population C (about 5 × body wt/day) and Capitella population K (3 × body wt/day). The fluoranthene concentrations used in the present study, while representing moderately to highly contaminated conditions, had only marginal effects on sediment-processing and growth rates of all of the Capitella populations examined. Processing of contaminated sediment by Capitella spp. may be important in the remediation of PAH-contaminated sediment. Received: 16 January 2000 / Accepted: 28 August 2000     

Larval abundance and recruitment of the sand dollar Dendraster excentricus in Monterey Bay,California, USA

Seasonal abundance of planktonic larvae of the sand dollar Dendraster excentricus was determined in Monterey Bay, California, USA. Larvae were counted from two offshore stations and also over a coastal sand dollar bed, and these data were compared with settlement in the sand dollar bed, with adult population structure and with adult reproductive condition. These measurements were made during the period July 1978 to October 1980 and in October 1981. Sand dollar larvae were most abundant in the plankton during the summer, a period when phytoplankton productivity tended to be high and currents were relatively slow and variable. In some years, small-scale current variations appeared to prevent many larvae in the open bay from reaching the nearshore sand dollar beds; however, in other years, massive shoreward transport of the larvae evidently did occur, since the adult population in the sand dollar bed exhibited a mode in size, indicating a large settlement. A comparison of settled individuals in 1980 and the adult size-frequency distribution in 1981 gives an estimated mortality rate of 88% yr^-1 for early juveniles of D. excentricus.     

Transfer of 65Zn from sediments by marine polychaete worms

Silty marine sediments spiked with ⁶⁵Zn lose only small fractions of their radioactivity when exposed to slowly flowing seawater for several weeks. However, polychaete worms (Nereis diversicolor), burrowing through the sediment, cause ⁶⁵Zn losses 3 to 7 times higher than in sediment without worms. Long-term experiments on the uptake and loss of ⁶⁵Zn by the polychaete Hermione hystrix indicate that 60 or more days exposure are required for this worm to approach steady state with ⁶⁵Zn in the sediment. Biological half-life estimates for ⁶⁵Zn accumulated from sediment by H. hystrix are extremely variable (52 to 197 days), depending on the loss-time interval chosen for the calculation. Following 5 days exposure to 16 cm³ of radioactive sediment, N. diversicolor individuals contained an average of 0.2% of the total ⁶⁵Zn in the sediment. When these worms were transferred to non-radioactive sediment, estimates of biological half-life for ⁶⁵Zn averaged 14 to 17 days during the loss period Day 3 to Day 15. Based on these experimental results, it is estimated that a population of N. diversicolor could cause an annual loss of 3% or more of the ⁶⁵Zn in the upper 2 cm of the sediment of a hypothetical radioactive estuary.     

Life history and production of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Corophium urdaibaiense</Emphasis> (Crustacea: Amphipoda) in the Urdaibai estuary (NE Spain)

The population of species Corophium urdaibaiense has been studied for a year in the Urdaibai estuary (NE Spain). The new species is characterised by its preference for muddy sand sediments (15% of mud) and the long body size (with a maximum length of 10.24 mm). The maximum abundance occurs in November (11,600 ind m⁻²); it almost disappears at the end of spring. The juveniles represent 79% of the population and the recruitment is concentrated within the October–December period. The breeding period begins in May, when the temperature is above 15°C, and it ceases in November, when the temperature is below 15°C. Bivoltinism is probable, taking into account the latitude (43°), temperature range (12–25°C) and breeding period (May and August–October), but the data are not sufficiently consistent to confirm the hypothesis. The production ranges from 2.93 to 5.85 g m⁻² year⁻¹, considering one and two generations per year, respectively. Some aspects concerning the food availability, predation and intraspecific competition could have an influence on the dynamics of the population and are discussed.     

Age and growth of the naticid gastropod <Emphasis Type="Italic">Polinices pulchellus</Emphasis> (Gastropoda: Naticidae) based on length frequency analysis and statolith growth rings

In Red Wharf Bay, UK the naticid gastropod, Polinices pulchellus, was more abundant and more highly aggregated during the summer months (June–August 2001) than during the winter (December 2000). Whilst small numbers of juvenile P. pulchellus (4–6 mm shell length) were present throughout the year the population consisted mainly of individuals of 12–14 mm shell length. Juvenile snails grew rapidly in size during the winter and early spring; growth then virtually ceased between May and June, following which there was a further period of rapid growth between August and February. Densities ranged between 57 and 4,073 ha⁻¹ and the largest individual collected during this investigation measured 16.2 mm in shell length. Statoliths from adult P. pulchellus revealed the presence of a settlement ring and two prominent growth rings (rings 1 and 2). A curvilinear relationship exists between statolith diameter and shell length in snails up to 16 mm in length. Settlement rings ranged in diameter from 19.7 to 45.2 μm (mean 29.8 μm; SE=0.41) giving an estimated shell length of the settled juvenile of 1.1 mm. The diameter of ring 1 and ring 2 were significantly correlated indicating that rapid growth during the first year is maintained during year 2. Shell lengths estimated from the diameters of the prominent statolith rings and those obtained from length frequency data analysis (LFDA), were broadly congruent strongly suggesting an annual periodicity to the statolith rings. The largest snails (>15 mm) present within this population were estimated to be between 2 and 3 years old. Von Bertallanfy seasonal growth curves obtained from the LFDA predicted values of L∞, K and t ₀ of 14.32 mm, 1.54 and −0.14 years, respectively, suggesting that P. pulchellus rapidly attains its maximum asymptotic size.