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ICES Journal of Marine Science: Journal du Conseil 1994 51(4):359-367; doi:10.1006/jmsc.1994.1038
© 1994 by ICES/CIEM International Council for the Exploration of the Sea/Conseil International pour l'Exploration de la Mer
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Population dynamics and the trophic role of Aurelia aurita medusae in the Kiel Bight and western Baltic

G. Schneider and G. Behrends

Biologische Anstalt Helgoland – Wattenmeerstation Hafenstr. 46, 25989 List/Sylt, Germany
Institut für Meereskunde Düsternbrooker Weg 20, 24105 Kiel, Germany

The population dynamics and the trophic role of Aurelia aurita medusae in the Kiel Bight/western Baltic are described from nine years of investigation between 1978 and 1993. There is considerable yearly variation in standing stock with summer median abundance ranging from 0.2 to 16 ind. 100 m–3 and biomass from 0.2 to 4.4 g C 100 m–3. The lower variation is due to marked differences in size of adult medusae between years. In years of low abundance medusae exhibit an average dise diameter of about 30 cm and weight about 1 kg. In bloom years, however, adult size is only about 20 cm and weight ranges between 200 and 400 g. Estimates of feeding are somewhat contradictory, but feeding rates of 40–80 mg C ind.–1 day–1 seem probable. It can be concluded that Aurelia medusae consume about 2/3 of daily secondary production in years of high abundance, and are thus responsible for a decline of mesozooplankton in these years.

Keywords: Aurelia aurita, Kiel Bight, population dynamics, feeding rates

Received 24 January 1994; accepted 13 May 1994.


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