Abstract:
The regular sea urchin, Strongylocentrotus pallidus, (G.O.Sars, 1871) is a widespread epibenthic species in high-Arctic waters. However, little is known about its distribution, standing stock, population dynamics and production. In the northern Barents Sea, S. pallidus was recorded on seabed still photographs at 10 out of 11 stations in water depths of 80-300 m. Mean abundances along photographic ... transects of 150-300 m length ranged between <0.1 and 14.7 ind. m-2 yielding a grand average of 3.6 ind. m-2. The small-scale distribution along the transects was patchy, with densities varying from nil to an overall maximum of 25.5 ind. m-2, and exhibited a significant relation to the number of stones present. Sea urchin test diameters, measured on scaled photographs, extended from 7 to 90 mm. Median values at single stations varied from 14 to 46 mm, showing a significant inverse relationship to water depth. Biomass, estimated by combining photographic abundances, size frequencies and a size-mass function established with trawled specimens, ranged between <0.1 and 3.0 g ash-free dry mass m-2, averaging about 1.0 g ash-free dry mass m-2. An analysis of skeletal growth bands in genital plates was carried out with 143 trawled individuals ranging in test diameter (D) from 4 to 48 mm. Assuming these bands to represent annual growth marks, the ages of the specimens analysed ranged between 3 and 42 years. A von Bertalanffy function was fitted to size-at-age data to model individual growth pattern (D∞ = 102.3 mm, k = 0.011 year-1, t0 = 0.633 year). The annual mortality rate Z of the population in the northern Barents Sea was estimated from a size-converted catch curve to be 0.08 year-1. Applying the weight-specific growth rate method, the average P/B ratio and the mean annual production of this population were estimated as 0.07 year-1 and 0.076 g AFDM m-2 year-1, respectively. In conclusion, S. pallidus is characterized by slow growth, low mortality, high longevity and low productivity. Because of its relatively high biomass, it is considered to contribute significantly to total benthic standing stock and carbon flux in the study area.
Purpose:
Describe distribution, standing stock, population dynamics and production of Strongylocentrotus pallidus in the northern Barents Sea.
Quality
ATTRIBUTE ACCURACY REPORT: Specimens smaller than 1mm in diameter could not be resolved from the photographs.
LOGICAL CONSISTENCY REPORT: The same procedure was used at all sites; findings should be consistent.
COMPLETENESS REPORT: Only S. pallidus was identified from photographs, other taxa were ignored. Minimum size detectable from photographs was 1mm.
... HORIZONTAL POSITIONAL ACCURACY REPORT: GPS locations taken from ship log. Latitude longitude by: degrees, minutes with two digits
LINEAGE/PROCESS STEP: PROCESS DESCRIPTION: Abundance, body size and biomass: Photographs were analyzed for density, small-scale distribution pattern and body size- frequencies. Small-scale distribution was parameterized with the patchiness index suggested by Lloyd (1967). Station mean biomass was computed by combining station specific mean abundances and size frequencies. Body size-mass function was established by drying preserved trawled urchins for 24 h at 60°C and 24 h burning at 520°C in a muffle furnace. Hard substrate (stones) information was qualitatively recorded (absent, few, some, many, cover most of seabed).
When not provided by authors, taxonomic information was completed using ITIS (e.g. in many cases for ORDER).
Access Constraints
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Use Constraints
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Dieter Piepenburg On the composition of the benthic fauna of the western Fram Strait; Doctoral Thesis
For an example of specimen databases, use and applications: Graham, C. H., S. Ferrier, F. Huettmann, C. Moritz and A.T. Peterson 2004
New developments in museum-based informatics and applications in biodiversity analysis. Trends in Ecology and Evolution 19:497-503 Polar ... Biology 28: 218-231
Bluhm,B; Piepenburg, D; von Juterzenka, K 1998 Distribution, standing stock, growth, mortality and production of Strongylocentrotus pallidus (Echinodermata: Echinoidea) in the northern Barents Sea. Polar Biology 20:325-334
Bluhm, B. 1997; Zur Oekologie der regulaeren Seeigel im noerdlichen Barentsmeer. Master Thesis Institute of Polar Ecology, University of Kiel, Kiel, Germany University of Kiel
Dieter Piepenburg, Michael Schmid 1996 Brittle star fauna (Echinodermata: Ophiuroidea) of the Arctic northwest Barents Sea: composition, abundance, biomass and spatial distribution. Polar Biology 16:383-392
