RT journal article
T1 Population and production parameters of the wedge clam Donax trunculus (Linnaeus, 1758) in intertidal areas on the southwest Spanish coast: Considerations in relation to protected areas
A1 Delgado, Marina
A1 Silva, Luis
A1 Gómez Salvador, Santiago
A1 Masferrer, Esther
A1 Cojan, Miguel
A1 Gaspar, Miguel B.
A2 Anatomía PatológicaBiología Celular, Histología, Historia de la Ciencia, Medicina Legal y Forense y Toxicología
K1 Donax trunculu
K1 Thin shell cross sections
K1 Length-frequency distribution
K1 Production
K1 Protected area
AB The main objectives of this study were (i) to provide an updated age-length key for D. trunculus from Atlantic waters, and (ii) to evaluate population dynamics, the timing of recruitment and production parameters of the wedge clam Donax trunculus in two moderately exposed sandy beaches (the protected area of Doñana National Park and the tourist destination of Isla Canela) along the littoral of Huelva (SW Spain). First an in-depth analysis of the shell and updated estimation of growth parameters of the intertidal D. trunculus population were performed between January 2014 and July 2015 using two different methods i) thin-layer cross section (TL) (ii) length-frequency distributions (LFD). Von Bertalanffy growth functions provided an asymptotic length of 46 mm (LFD) and 46.7 mm (TL) and growth constants of 0.48 (LFD) and 0.47 yr−1 (TL) in Doñana beach. In addition, several deformities as well as signs of shell repair were observed. Population dynamics analyses through length-frequency distribution clarified the timing of recruitment (February–March and July). The mean annual biomass (B¯) of intertidal populations of D. trunculus ranged between 3.03 (Doñana) and 3.31 g ash-free dry mass (AFDW) m−2 yr−1 (Isla Canela). Individual production showed the highest value at 27 mm length (0.117 g AFDW m−2 yr−1) and annual production (P) ranged between 3.40 (Doñana) and 4.91 g (Isla Canela), resulting in renewal rate (P/B¯) values between 1.03 and 1.61, respectively. The present results, together with information on environmental parameters, revealed clear differences in population dynamics and production between beaches related to the presence or absence of a protection figure.
PB Elsevier B.V.
SN 0165-7836
YR 2017
FD 2017
LK http://hdl.handle.net/10498/33807
UL http://hdl.handle.net/10498/33807
LA eng
DS Repositorio Institucional de la Universidad de Cádiz
RD 12-nov-2026