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Population structure and accumulation of lipids in the ctenophore Mertensia ovum

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Abstract

We studied the abundance, length-frequency distribution and body composition (lipid accumulation) of the ctenophore Mertensia ovum in Kongsfjorden, Svalbard (79°N) between May 2001 and April 2002. The highest abundances were found during summer in the outer and middle areas of the fjord, possibly caused by the concentration of advected zooplankton. Polymodal length-frequencies indicated a life span of 2 years, with 0, 1 and 2-groups being present in summer. Total lipid for a standardized animal decreased from May to August, and increased to the highest level in September. Relative lipid content was always highest in the 0-group, probably reflecting reduction of lipid levels due to increased energy costs during reproduction for the older age groups. Lipids probably are used to fuel prolonged reproduction from May to August until spawning ends by September. The overwintering age groups (0 and 1) subsequently build up lipid reserves for the next years’ spawning.

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Acknowledgements

We thank the captains and crews of RVs Lance, Oceania and Håkon Mosby for help with sampling and Tone Falkenhaug for helpful comments to an earlier draft of this paper. Thanks to Frank Beuchel for MIX analysis of the length-frequency data and Jan Roald (Norwegian Polar Institute) for the illustration of M. ovum. Grants to Marte Lundberg were provided by “Roald Amundsens senter for Arktisk Forskning”, “Arktis stipend” (Norwegian Polar Institute), “Haakon den 7des utdannelsesfond for norsk ungdom” (Univ. Tromsø), “Kometen stipend” (Univ. Tromsø), “Kellfrid og Helge Jakobsens fond”, “Lise og Arnfinn Hejes fond”, “Stiftelsen Thomas Fearnley, Heddy og Nils Astrup” and “Sandvika Rotary”.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Norwegian Polar Institute, 9296, Tromsø, Norway

    Marte Lundberg, Haakon Hop & Stig Falk-Petersen

  2. University Centre in Svalbard, 9170 , Longyearbyen, Norway

    Ketil Eiane

  3. Norwegian College of Fishery Science, University of Tromsø, 9037, Tromsø, Norway

    Marte Lundberg & Bjørn Gulliksen

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  1. Marte Lundberg
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  2. Haakon Hop
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  3. Ketil Eiane
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  4. Bjørn Gulliksen
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  5. Stig Falk-Petersen
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Correspondence to Marte Lundberg.

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Communicated by M. Kühl, Helsingor

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Lundberg, M., Hop, H., Eiane, K. et al. Population structure and accumulation of lipids in the ctenophore Mertensia ovum . Mar Biol 149, 1345–1353 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00227-006-0283-7

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