Estimación del crecimiento del erizo de mar. Paracentrotus lividus

Abstract

A mathematical model that defines the growth rate of the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus in the natural environment is presented for the first time, using tagging techniques with calcein fluorochrome. The study was conducted in a middle-intertidal rocky platform located in the north of the island of Tenerife by means of tagging a population of sea that were recaptured after one year. In order to determine the growth model, the growth in the demi-pyramids ofAristotle’s lantern of marked sea urchins were measured under UV light. Applying the Logistic Dose Response model the results obtained indicate that P. lividus is a long-lived species that has a rapid growth in its early years and it decreases drastically from four years of age. The study of the size frequency of the population indicated that the studied sea urchin population is mainly composed of sea urchins ranging from 1.3 to 5 years of age, although there were young individuals of less than 1 year and very old individuals ot above 75 years old. This age distribution is indicative of a population with a high turnover rate and high survival.