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Length–weight relationships of 216 North Sea benthic invertebrates and fish

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 January 2010

L.A. Robinson ,
S.P.R. Greenstreet ,
H. Reiss ,
R. Callaway ,
J. Craeymeersch ,
I. de Boois ,
S. Degraer ,
S. Ehrich ,
H.M. Fraser  and
A. Goffin
...Show all authors
L.A. Robinson*
Affiliation:
School of Biological Sciences, Ecosystem Dynamics Group, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, L69 7ZB, UK
S.P.R. Greenstreet
Affiliation:
Fisheries Research Services, Marine Laboratory, PO Box 101, Aberdeen, AB11 9DB, UK
H. Reiss
Affiliation:
Senckenberg Institute, Department of Marine Science, Südstrand 40, 26382 Wilhelmshaven, Germany
R. Callaway
Affiliation:
University of Wales, Swansea, Singleton Park, Swansea, SA2 8PP, UK
J. Craeymeersch
Affiliation:
Netherlands Institute for Fisheries Research (IMARES), PO Box 77, 4400 AB Yerseke, The Netherlands
I. de Boois
Affiliation:
Netherlands Institute for Fisheries Research (IMARES), PO Box 77, 4400 AB Yerseke, The Netherlands
S. Degraer
Affiliation:
Ghent University, Department of Biology, Marine Biology Section, K.L. Ledeganckstraat 35, B 9000, Gent, Belgium
S. Ehrich
Affiliation:
Federal Research Institute for Rural Areas, Forestry and Fisheries, Institute of Sea Fisheries, Palmaille 9, 22767 Hamburg, Germany
H.M. Fraser
Affiliation:
Fisheries Research Services, Marine Laboratory, PO Box 101, Aberdeen, AB11 9DB, UK
A. Goffin
Affiliation:
Ghent University, Department of Biology, Marine Biology Section, K.L. Ledeganckstraat 35, B 9000, Gent, Belgium
I. Kröncke
Affiliation:
Senckenberg Institute, Department of Marine Science, Südstrand 40, 26382 Wilhelmshaven, Germany
L. Lindal Jorgenson
Affiliation:
Institute of Marine Research, Box 1870, 5817 Bergen, Norway
M.R. Robertson
Affiliation:
Fisheries Research Services, Marine Laboratory, PO Box 101, Aberdeen, AB11 9DB, UK
J. Lancaster
Affiliation:
University of Wales, Swansea, Singleton Park, Swansea, SA2 8PP, UK
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: L.A. Robinson, Ecosystem Dynamics Group School of Biological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, L69 7ZB, UK email: leonie.robinson@liv.ac.uk
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Abstract

Size-based analyses of marine animals are increasingly used to improve understanding of community structure and function. However, the resources required to record individual body weights for benthic animals, where the number of individuals can reach several thousand in a square metre, are often prohibitive. Here we present morphometric (length–weight) relationships for 216 benthic species from the North Sea to permit weight estimation from length measurements. These relationships were calculated using data collected over two years from 283 stations. For ten abundant and widely dispersed species we tested for significant spatial and temporal differences in morphometric relationships. Some were found, but the magnitude of differences was small in relation to the size-ranges of animals that are usually present and we recommend that the regression relationships given here, based on pooled data, are appropriate for most types of population and community analyses. Our hope is that the availability of these morphometric relationships will encourage the more frequent application of size-based analyses to benthic survey data, and so enhance understanding of the ecology of the benthic/demersal component of marine ecosystems and food webs.

Keywords

length–weight relationshipsbenthosdemersal fishsize structuresize-based analyses
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom , Volume 90 , Issue 1 , February 2010 , pp. 95 - 104
Copyright
Copyright © Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 2010

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