Production and Respiration of Antarctic Ascidians

KOWALKE, J; TATIÁN M; SAHADE R; ARNTZ, W

POLAR BIOLOGY

SPRINGER

Lugar: Berlin; Año: 2001 vol. 24 p. 663 - 669

0722-4060

Solitary ascidians are the most abundant group of mega-epibenthic animals below 20 m in Potter Cove, King George Island. The present work deals with aspects of growth and respiration to explain this dominance. High growth rates and longevity (maximum ages between 3.1 and 10.6 years) make them effective colonisers after destructive events. Low basal metabolism (between 0.023 and 0.057 ml 02 h-1 per g ash-free dry mass, T= 1°C) elevates the scope for growth. These properties, together with other factors, allow these animals to tolerate disturbances better than other filter-feeding groups.