ESTIMATES OF SECONDARY PRODUCTION IN A COEXISTENT GROUP OF ACARTIA SPECIES (COPEPODA, CALANOIDA)

Secondary production of a congeneric species group of Acartia Dana, 18 46, was estimated during a summer-autumn period (from June to October 1989) using a calculation based on the size-frequency distribution. Ou r study area was Malaga harbour (SE of Spain), a shallow (10 m depth) and semi-isolated ecosystem with restricted circulation. Acartia was t he dominant copepod in the water column. Co-occurring species were Aca rtia grani, Acartia clausi, and Acartia discaudata var mediterranea. E stimated average production was 29.12 mg dry wt m(-3) d(-1) (13.10 mg C m(-3) d(-1)). The high values of chlorophyll concentration suggest t hat copepods can always find sufficient food for growth at maximum rat e. The results obtained were similar to previous estimates for other A cartia species in coastal areas.