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The relationship between annual production: Biomass ratios and lifespans for marine macrobenthos

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Summary

Recent literature on studies of production in marine macrobenthos is reviewed, and a significant correlation between annual P/B ratios and lifespan is shown for species from a variety of phyla and habitats. A regression equation was fitted to the pooled data. This equation may be used, in conjunction with data on mean annual biomass, to give production estimates for populations of marine macrobenthic species, if sampling is not size or age selective, and the lifespans of the populations can be determined.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Zoology, University of Melbourne, 3052, Parkville, Victoria, Australia

    Alistar I. Robertson

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  1. Alistar I. Robertson
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This is publication number 209 in the Ministry for Conservation of Victoria study series

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Robertson, A.I. The relationship between annual production: Biomass ratios and lifespans for marine macrobenthos. Oecologia 38, 193–202 (1979). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00346563

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00346563

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