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Individual and reef growth of the invasive reef-building polychaete Ficopomatus enigmaticus in a south-western Atlantic coastal lagoon

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 October 2004

Evangelina Schwindt
Affiliation:
Maritime Studies Program, Williams College-Mystic Seaport, Mystic, CT, USA Present address: Centro Nacional Patagonico (CENPAT-CONICET), Blvd. Brown s/n, Puerto Madryn (9120), Argentina
Claudio G. De Francesco
Affiliation:
FCEyN, UN La Pampa, Santa Rosa, La Pampa, Argentina
Oscar O. Iribarne
Affiliation:
CONICET-Laboratorio de Ecología, UNMdP, Mar del Plata, Argentina
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Abstract

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The growth of the Ficopomatus enigmaticus reefs was measured throughout a coastal lagoon at different temporal and spatial scales (over 24 years, annually and monthly throughout the coastal lagoon). The results show that reef cover increased in the last 24 years, and many neighbouring reefs have coalesced into large platforms. Growth rate varies spatially and temporally. Small reefs grow faster than large ones. Ficopomatus enigmaticus polychaetes living in higher salinity areas show a lower biomass than those living in brackish water areas, and the same pattern was observed for the inter-ring distance measured on the tubes. The results also show that important environmental variables, including salinity, nutrient availability and environmental energy (measured as current speed and depth) may be the most important factors affecting the growth and spread of the reefs.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
2004 Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom