BIOMASS AND SECONDARY PRODUCTION OF THE TEMPERATE GORGONIAN CORAL EUNICELLA-CAVOLINI (COELENTERATA, OCTOCORALLIA)

Secondary production and standing stock biomass of Eunicella cavolini, one of the most abundant shallow-water gorgonians in the Mediterranea n Sea, were estimated between 1989 and 1991 at 3 study sites: shallow boulders, a deep channel, and a deep wall. Secondary production was de rived from colony densities, age structure, ash-free dry weight (AFDW) per age class, and the increase of AFDW between age classes. Estimati on of secondary production ranged from 4.9 to 7.4 g AFDW m(-2) yr(-1) in the channel, from 1.3 to 1.6 g AFDW m(-2) yr(-1) at the wall, and f rom 0.26 to 0.38 g AFDW m(-2) yr(-1) at the boulders. Population turno ver times were lowest in the channel (3.1 to 3.6 yr), intermediate at the wall (3.3 to 3.7 yr), and highest at the boulders (3.6 to 4.1 yr). Secondary production and turnover were intermediate compared to gorgo nian species investigated so far. Standing stock of total biomass of E . cavolini of the present study (up to 584.6 g m(-2)) is comparable to reported standing stock biomass of tropical gorgonian communities. We assume that sclerite production of gorgonians can be an important con tribution of calcium carbonate to the sediments in the investigated en vironment.