Respiratory Rate and Assessment of Secondary Production in the Holothuroid Holothuria tubulosa (Echinodermata) from Mediterranean Seagrass Beds |
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| Authors: | Pierre Coulon Michel Jangoux Patrick Bulteel |
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| Institution: | Laboratoire de Biologie marine (CP160), UniversitéLibre de Bruxelles, 50 av. F.D. Roosevelt, B-1050 Bruxelles, Belgium;Laboratoire de Biologie marine, Universitéde Mons-Hainaut, 19 av. Maistriau, B-7000 Mons, Belgium |
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| Abstract: | Abstract. Respiration in Holothuria tubulosa was investigated in individuals from the Posidonia oceanica meadow off Lacco Ameno (Ischia Island, Italy). Respiratory rates increase with increasing body weight and increasing sea water temperature. Oxygen consumption of an average individual (7g dw body wall) ranges from 0.409 (14 °C) to 1.300 (26 °C) mg O2· h-1. Data on population density, mean size of individuals, and annual sea water temperature variations allow an assessment of holothuroid production. Values of 45.65 and 13.75 kJ · m-2· y-1 were calculated for shallow (3 to 10 m) and deep (25 to 33 m) areas of the Posidonia meadow, respectively. Holothuroid production shows a bathymetric pattern similar to primary production of the Posidonia -epiphytes complex and the production of Posidonia litter. |
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| Keywords: | Holothuroids respiratory rate secondary production seagrass beds |
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