GROWTH AND PRODUCTIVITY OF THE HIGH-ANTARCTIC BRYOZOAN MELICERITA OBLIQUA

We analysed growth of the Antarctic bryozoan Melicerita obliqua (Thorn ely, 1924) by x-ray photography and stable isotope analysis, M. obliqu a colonies form one segment per year, thus attaining maximum length of about 200 mm within 50 years. In the Weddell and Lazarev Seas, annual production/biomass ratio of M. obliqua is 0.1 yr(-1), which is in the range of other Antarctic benthic invertebrate populations. Production amounts to 3.34 mg C-org m(-2) yr(-1) and 90.6 mg ash m(-2) yr(-1) on the shelf (100 to 600 m water depth). and to 0.13 mg C-org m(-2) yr(- 1) and 36.8 mg ash m(-2) yr(-1) on the slope (600 to 1250 m water dept h).