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Population dynamics and production of euphausiids. I. Thysanoessa longicaudata in the North Atlantic Ocean

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Abstract

Adults and furciliae of Thysanoessa longicaudata (Krøyer) taken in continuous plankton records (CPR) in 1966 and 1967 were examined and measured. The measurements were converted to biomass using a length/weight equation, and net production values were calculated from these data. Two generations were spawned annually in the eastern North Atlantic Ocean and only one in the colder western waters and in the Norwegian Sea. The timing of reproduction in the spring was correlated with the mean sea-surface temperature. The highest annual production values (up to 12.24 mg dry weight m-3 year-1) were recorded in the eastern areas, where the ratio between production and biomass was usually between 4:1 and 8:1 compared with ratios usually between 2:1 and 3:1 in the western waters. The values for daily production per individual ranged from 3.34 μg dry weight day-1 to 17.54 μg day-1. Mortality in the early stages of development was calculated as about 98.2% of the eggs produced.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for Marine Environmental Research, Plymouth, England

    J. A. Lindley

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  1. J. A. Lindley
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Communicated by J. Mauchline, Oban

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Lindley, J.A. Population dynamics and production of euphausiids. I. Thysanoessa longicaudata in the North Atlantic Ocean. Mar. Biol. 46, 121–130 (1978). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00391527

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00391527

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