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Aquacult Int (2011) 19:523530 DOI 10.1007/s10499-010-9368-x
J. P. Garcs J. Pereira
Received: 19 October 2009 / Accepted: 8 August 2010 / Published online: 3 September 2010 Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2010
Abstract In order to develop rearing techniques for Marphysa sanguinea Montagu (1813), the inuence of salinity on survival and growth rates of juveniles has been investigated under controlled laboratory conditions. For this purpose, 720 worms were produced in the laboratory. After rearing up to 69 setigerous segments, the worms were subjected to an experimental set-up for 2 months, in which they were exposed to salinities ranging from 15 to 40. For each salinity set-up, two sediment groups were used: an unmodied natural sediment and the same supplemented with Ulva lattuca, an assumed important natural dietary item. The results obtained showed the following: (1) Salinity changes produce an immediate and signicant effect on growth; (2) no signicant differences were noted between the two groups subjected to different diets, but a signicant interaction was noted between each of the two factors. Results of this study can have signicant implications for M. sanguinea aquaculture, concerning farm site selection and salinity maintenance in order to maximize commercial productivity.
Keywords Growth rate Marphysa sanguinea Polychaete Salinity Survival
Introduction
Environmental factors strongly affect all phases of the life cycle of many marine invertebrates, and in particular of species inhabiting coastal and estuarine regions.
Temperature and salinity are primary abiotic variables affecting survival, activity and distribution of marine organisms (Kinne 1964), and environmental tolerance to salinity may not be the same for gametes as for adults (Fong 1998). Most euryhaline animals are not immune to the effects of salinity changes. Documented sublethal effects of altered salinity include reduced rates of growth and development (Qiu and Qian 1997; Lambert et al. 1994; Rosas et al. 1999; Specker et al. 1999) and reduced fecundity (Morritt and Stevenson 1993; Pechenik et al. 2007).
J. P. Garcs (&) J. Pereira
Instituto Nacional de Recursos Biolgicos (INRB, I.P./L-IPIMAR), Lisbon, Portugal e-mail: [email protected]
Effect of salinity on survival and growth of Marphysa sanguinea Montagu (1813) juveniles
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The effects of diet, sediment organic content, pollutants and prolonged larval life on growth and life history characteristics have been well documented for capitellid species...