New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research abstracts
Population dynamics and chemical ecology of New Zealand Demospongiae
Latrunculia sp. nov. and Polymastia croceus (Poecilosclerida:
Latrunculiidae: Polymastiidae)
ALAN R. DUCKWORTH1
CHRISTOPHER N. BATTERSHILL2
National Institute of Water & Atmospheric Research Ltd
P. O. Box 14 901
Wellington, New Zealand
1Present address: Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution,
5600 U.S. 1 North, Fort Pierce, Florida 34946, United States. email:
aduckworth@hboi.edu
2Present address: Australian Institute of Marine Science, PMB
No 3, Townsville, Qld 4810, Australia.
Abstract For 3 years aspects of the population dynamics,
growth, and bioactivity (measure of biologically active metabolite
biosynthesis) of the Demospongiae Latrunculia sp. nov. and Polymastia
croceus (Kelly-Borges & Bergquist) were examined on a subtidal reef on
the Wellington south coast, New Zealand. For both species, survival of adult
sponges was high in all seasons, whereas juvenile sponges had poor survival.
Recruitment of Latrunculia sp. nov. occurred in all seasons indicating
that this species is reproductively active throughout the year. P.
croceus recruited mostly in autumn, supporting previous work that found the
sponge to be reproductively active in summer and early autumn only. For both
sponge species, growth rates varied greatly between individuals and were
unaffected by initial sponge size within the range examined. Sponges generally
grew during winter and spring as the water temperature rose, and shrank during
summer and autumn as the water temperature fell. This growth pattern may relate
to seasonal variation in food abundance, and for P. croceus it may
result also from seasonal differences in reproductive investment. After 2
years, Latrunculia sp. nov. and P. croceus had on average,
halved and doubled in size, respectively. Latrunculia sp. nov. showed a
seasonal pattern of bioactivity, being most active in spring possibly to
prevent the surface overgrowth of fouling organisms. P. croceus had no
seasonal pattern of bioactivity, but individuals were either very active or
inactive. The bioactive metabolites in both species possibly aid in competitive
interactions and prevent predation and biofouling.
Keywords Porifera; Latrunculia sp. nov.; Polymastia
croceus; growth; population dynamics; biological activity; seasonal
patterns
New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research, 2001, Vol. 35
M01025
Received 26 March 2001; accepted 17 July 2001
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