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Energy Requirements of a Population of Pinfish Lagodon Rhomboides (Linnaeus)
Author(s) -
Hoss Donald E.
Publication year - 1974
Publication title -
ecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.144
H-Index - 294
eISSN - 1939-9170
pISSN - 0012-9658
DOI - 10.2307/1934420
Subject(s) - juvenile , population , biology , biomass (ecology) , juvenile fish , calorie , ecology , productivity , energy budget , estuary , larva , energy requirement , demography , mathematics , statistics , macroeconomics , sociology , regression , economics , endocrinology
Biomass and rates of metabolism were estimated for a population of pinfish in the Newport River estuary, North Carolina. This information was used to estimate the routine energy requirements of the pinfish population and to relate these energy requirements to primary productivity in the estuary. Population estimations of larval, juvenile, and adult pinfish were made over a 2—yr period. Peak biomass occurred during March—April when both larval fish and juvenile—adult fish were at maximum numbers. Routine metabolism was measured at 10° and 15° C for larval fish and at 5°, 10°, 15°, 20°, and 33° C for juvenile—adult fish. Metabolism—weight coefficients calculated from the data for juvenile—adult fish were lower than values for pinfish reported by other investigators. The yearly routine energy requirement of the pinfish population was estimated to be 1.1 x 10 9 calories. This annual requirement was compared to total esturaine primary productivity with the assumption of 10% and 20% net growth efficiency for the estuarine system. At 10% efficiency the pinfish would require 0.9% and at 20% they would require 0.4% of the total energy available to secondary consumers.