Seasonal growth rate and population dynamics of a freshwater sponge

✍ Scribed by Russell B. Rader; Robert N. Winget

• Book ID: 104615109
• Publisher: Springer
• Year: 1985
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 453 KB
• Volume: 123
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 1573-5141
• DOI: 10.1007/bf00018979

✦ Synopsis

Five sites of various water depths on four transects were sampled on a seasonal basis to determine Ephydatia fluviatilis population dynamics. The temporal occurrence of life cycle events was influenced by factors (e.g. water temperature) that varied with water depth. The shallow-water(IS m deep) portion of the population. Sexual reproduction occurred in the spring. Seasonal growth rates were determined for 45 E. fluviatilis colonies on 6 rocks. Growth was maximal during late spring and summer at a mean rate of 26.75% increase in area per week. Growth rates during the winter were slow (2.0% increase] week). Growth rates were not significantly different between small (<4.0 mm2) and large (>4.0 mm2) colonies. Seasonal changes were positively correlated with colony growth rates, whereas, micro-habitat parameters that may vary from rock to rock within a small area were not correlated.