scholarly journals Size matters: relationships between body size and body mass of common coastal, aquatic invertebrates in the Baltic Sea

PeerJ ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
pp. e2906 ◽  
Author(s):  
Johan Eklöf ◽  
Åsa Austin ◽  
Ulf Bergström ◽  
Serena Donadi ◽  
Britas D.H.K. Eriksson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Body Size ◽  
Baltic Sea ◽  
Body Mass ◽  
Dry Mass ◽  
Negative Influence ◽  
Biologically Active ◽  
Relative Mass ◽  
Potential Influence ◽  
The Baltic Sea ◽  
The Baltic

Background Organism biomass is one of the most important variables in ecological studies, making biomass estimations one of the most common laboratory tasks. Biomass of small macroinvertebrates is usually estimated as dry mass or ash-free dry mass (hereafter ‘DM’ vs. ‘AFDM’) per sample; a laborious and time consuming process, that often can be speeded up using easily measured and reliable proxy variables like body size or wet (fresh) mass. Another common way of estimating AFDM (one of the most accurate but also time-consuming estimates of biologically active tissue mass) is the use of AFDM/DM ratios as conversion factors. So far, however, these ratios typically ignore the possibility that the relative mass of biologically active vs. non-active support tissue (e.g., protective exoskeleton or shell)—and therefore, also AFDM/DM ratios—may change with body size, as previously shown for taxa like spiders, vertebrates and trees. Methods We collected aquatic, epibenthic macroinvertebrates (>1 mm) in 32 shallow bays along a 360 km stretch of the Swedish coast along the Baltic Sea; one of the largest brackish water bodies on Earth. We then estimated statistical relationships between the body size (length or height in mm), body dry mass and ash-free dry mass for 14 of the most common taxa; five gastropods, three bivalves, three crustaceans and three insect larvae. Finally, we statistically estimated the potential influence of body size on the AFDM/DM ratio per taxon. Results For most taxa, non-linear regression models describing the power relationship between body size and (i) DM and (ii) AFDM fit the data well (as indicated by low SE and high R2). Moreover, for more than half of the taxa studied (including the vast majority of the shelled molluscs), body size had a negative influence on organism AFDM/DM ratios. Discussion The good fit of the modelled power relationships suggests that the constants reported here can be used to quickly estimate organism dry- and ash-free dry mass based on body size, thereby freeing up considerable work resources. However, the considerable differences in constants between taxa emphasize the need for taxon-specific relationships, and the potential dangers associated with ignoring body size. The negative influence of body size on the AFDM/DM ratio found in a majority of the molluscs could be caused by increasingly thicker shells with organism age, and/or spawning-induced loss of biologically active tissue in adults. Consequently, future studies utilizing AFDM/DM (and presumably also AFDM/wet mass) ratios should carefully assess the potential influence of body size to ensure more reliable estimates of organism body mass.

scholarly journals Size matters: relationships between body size, dry weight and ash-free dry weight of common coastal, aquatic invertebrates in the Baltic Sea

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Johan Eklöf ◽  
Åsa Austin ◽  
Ulf Bergström ◽  
Serena Donadi ◽  
Britas D H K Eriksson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Body Size ◽  
Baltic Sea ◽  
Dry Weight ◽  
Negative Influence ◽  
The Body ◽  
Biologically Active ◽  
Power Relationship ◽  
Potential Influence ◽  
The Baltic Sea ◽  
The Baltic

Background. Organism biomass is one of the most important variables in ecological studies, making estimations of organism weight one of the most common laboratory tasks. Biomass of small macroinvertebrates is usually estimated as dry (DW) or ash-free dry weight (AFDW); a laborious and time consuming process, that often can be speeded up using easily measured and reliable proxy variables like wet/fresh weight and/or body size. Another common way of estimating AFDW - which is the most accurate but also time-consuming estimate of biologically active tissue weight - is the use of AFDW/DW ratios or conversion factors. So far, however, these ratios typically ignore the possibility that the relative weight of biologically active vs. non-active support tissue (e.g. protective exoskeleton or shell) - and therefore, also the AFDW/DW ratio - may change with body size, as previously shown for taxa like spiders, vertebrates and trees. Methods. We collected samples of aquatic, epibenthic macroinvertebrates (>1 mm) in 32 shallow bays along a 360 km stretch of the Swedish coast along the Baltic Sea; one of the largest brackish water bodies on Earth. We then estimated statistical relationships between the body size (length or height in mm), dry weight and ash-free dry weight for 14 of the most common taxa; five gastropods, three bivalves, three crustaceans and three insect larvae. Finally, we statistically estimated the potential influence of body size on the AFDW/DW ratio per taxon. Results. For most of the taxa, non-linear regression models describing the power relationship between body size and i) DW and ii) AFDW fit the data well (as indicated by low SE and high R2). Moreover, for more than half of the taxa studied (including the vast majority of the shelled molluscs), body size had a negative influence on organism AFDW/DW ratios. Discussion. The good fit of the modelled power relationships suggest that the constants reported here can be used to more quickly estimate organism dry- and ash-free dry weight based on body size, thereby freeing up considerable work resources. However, the considerable differences in constants between taxa emphasize the need for taxon-specific relationships, and the potential dangers associated with either ignoring body size or substituting relationships between taxa. The negative influence of body size on AFDW/DW ratio found in a majority of the molluscs could be caused by increasingly thicker shells with organism age, and/or spawning-induced loss of biologically active tissue in adults. Consequently, future studies utilizing AFDW/DW (and presumably also AFDW/wet weight) ratios should carefully assess the potential influence of body size to ensure more reliable estimates of organism biomass.

scholarly journals Size matters: relationships between body size, dry weight and ash-free dry weight of common coastal, aquatic invertebrates in the Baltic Sea

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Johan Eklöf ◽  
Åsa Austin ◽  
Ulf Bergström ◽  
Serena Donadi ◽  
Britas D H K Eriksson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Body Size ◽  
Baltic Sea ◽  
Dry Weight ◽  
Negative Influence ◽  
The Body ◽  
Biologically Active ◽  
Power Relationship ◽  
Potential Influence ◽  
The Baltic Sea ◽  
The Baltic

Background. Organism biomass is one of the most important variables in ecological studies, making estimations of organism weight one of the most common laboratory tasks. Biomass of small macroinvertebrates is usually estimated as dry (DW) or ash-free dry weight (AFDW); a laborious and time consuming process, that often can be speeded up using easily measured and reliable proxy variables like wet/fresh weight and/or body size. Another common way of estimating AFDW - which is the most accurate but also time-consuming estimate of biologically active tissue weight - is the use of AFDW/DW ratios or conversion factors. So far, however, these ratios typically ignore the possibility that the relative weight of biologically active vs. non-active support tissue (e.g. protective exoskeleton or shell) - and therefore, also the AFDW/DW ratio - may change with body size, as previously shown for taxa like spiders, vertebrates and trees. Methods. We collected samples of aquatic, epibenthic macroinvertebrates (>1 mm) in 32 shallow bays along a 360 km stretch of the Swedish coast along the Baltic Sea; one of the largest brackish water bodies on Earth. We then estimated statistical relationships between the body size (length or height in mm), dry weight and ash-free dry weight for 14 of the most common taxa; five gastropods, three bivalves, three crustaceans and three insect larvae. Finally, we statistically estimated the potential influence of body size on the AFDW/DW ratio per taxon. Results. For most of the taxa, non-linear regression models describing the power relationship between body size and i) DW and ii) AFDW fit the data well (as indicated by low SE and high R2). Moreover, for more than half of the taxa studied (including the vast majority of the shelled molluscs), body size had a negative influence on organism AFDW/DW ratios. Discussion. The good fit of the modelled power relationships suggest that the constants reported here can be used to more quickly estimate organism dry- and ash-free dry weight based on body size, thereby freeing up considerable work resources. However, the considerable differences in constants between taxa emphasize the need for taxon-specific relationships, and the potential dangers associated with either ignoring body size or substituting relationships between taxa. The negative influence of body size on AFDW/DW ratio found in a majority of the molluscs could be caused by increasingly thicker shells with organism age, and/or spawning-induced loss of biologically active tissue in adults. Consequently, future studies utilizing AFDW/DW (and presumably also AFDW/wet weight) ratios should carefully assess the potential influence of body size to ensure more reliable estimates of organism biomass.

Body size and reproductive traits of Palaemon elegans Rathke, 1837 (Crustacea, Decapoda), a recent colonizer of the Baltic Sea

2010 ◽  
Vol 39 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Urszula Janas ◽  
Anna Mańkucka
Keyword(s):  
Body Size ◽  
Baltic Sea ◽  
Reproductive Traits ◽  
The Baltic Sea ◽  
Palaemon Elegans ◽  
Southern Baltic ◽  
The Baltic

Body size and reproductive traits ofis a species of prawn new (since 2000) to the southern Baltic. The aim of this study was to find out whether there are differences in the sizes of individuals and in the reproductive traits of

scholarly journals A decrease in fledging body mass in common guillemot Uria aalge chicks in the Baltic Sea

2001 ◽  
Vol 224 ◽  
pp. 305-309 ◽  
Author(s):  
H Österblom ◽  
A Bignert ◽  
T Fransson ◽  
O Olsson
Keyword(s):  
Baltic Sea ◽  
Body Mass ◽  
Uria Aalge ◽  
The Baltic Sea ◽  
Common Guillemot ◽  
The Baltic

scholarly journals Indications of competition between non-indigenous round goby and native flounder in the Baltic Sea

2007 ◽  
Vol 64 (3) ◽  
pp. 479-486 ◽  
Author(s):  
Agnes M. L. Karlson ◽  
Gustaf Almqvist ◽  
Krzysztof E. Skóra ◽  
Magnus Appelberg
Keyword(s):  
Baltic Sea ◽  
Round Goby ◽  
Negative Influence ◽  
Food Competition ◽  
Neogobius Melanostomus ◽  
Diet Overlap ◽  
Similar Species ◽  
The Baltic Sea ◽  
Round Gobies ◽  
The Baltic

Abstract Karlson, A. M. L., Almqvist, G., Skóra, K. E., and Appelberg, M. 2007. Indications of competition between non-indigenous round goby and native flounder in the Baltic Sea. – ICES Journal of Marine Science, 64: 479–486. The Ponto-Caspian round goby (Neogobius melanostomus) was introduced to the Gulf of Gdańsk, southern Baltic Sea, in the late 1980s, and it has now become the dominant demersal fish species in shallow water. This study aimed to assess diet preferences and the degree of diet overlap between the round goby and the native flounder (Platichthys flesus). Results from time-series of stomach contents and stable isotope analyses of wild-caught fish, together with prey preference experiments carried out in the laboratory, showed that the two species consumed similar species and sizes of prey. The similarities in diet suggest potential for food competition. Catch data showed both reverse depth distributions of round goby and flounder when round gobies were abundant and that the abundances of the two species were negatively correlated. The diet overlap between small flounders and round gobies was greatest when goby abundance was least, suggesting that abundance of round gobies may restrict flounder habitat utilization and, therefore, also food availability to the latter. Therefore, round gobies may have a negative influence on the commercially important flounder.

Salinity effects on egg production, hatching, and survival of Eurytemora affinis (Copepoda, Calanoida)

Crustaceana ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 93 (3-5) ◽  
pp. 429-445 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lauri Kuismanen ◽  
Louise Forsblom ◽  
Jonna Engström-Öst ◽  
Ulf Båmstedt ◽  
Olivier Glippa
Keyword(s):  
Body Size ◽  
Baltic Sea ◽  
Egg Production ◽  
Mixed Model ◽  
Linear Mixed Model ◽  
Salinity Range ◽  
The Baltic Sea ◽  
Eurytemora Affinis ◽  
Optimal Salinity ◽  
The Baltic

Abstract Salinity is an important biodiversity regulating factor in the Baltic Sea, forming a physiological dispersal barrier for species. The salinity in the Baltic Sea has been predicted to decline due to increased precipitation and fewer saline water inflows from the ocean. This causes stress to species already living on the edge of their tolerances and can alter species compositions and interactions in ecosystems. Calanoid copepod resting eggs, originating from a known egg bank on the seabed in the western Gulf of Finland, were incubated in the laboratory. We monitored the hatching of the calanoid copepods Acartia sp. and Eurytemora affinis, as well as the survival to maturity of hatched Eurytemora affinis nauplii in salinities ranging from 0 to 25. Further, we also investigated salinity-related effects on body size and egg production. Based on the results of our generalized linear mixed model, peak hatching occurred within the salinity range 5-20 (6.3 at the study site). Body size was not affected by salinity and most eggs were produced in salinities of 5, 7.5 and 15. The results suggest that E. affinis lives on the edge of an optimal salinity and that a decline of salinity could affect the fitness of the local populations of the species.

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