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Stock mapping, size structure and biological parameters of the clam Polititapes aureus in the shellfish production area of the southern Tunisian waters (Central Mediterranean)


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Figure 1

Map of the study area. The location of sampling transects is indicated
Map of the study area. The location of sampling transects is indicated

Figure 2

Polititapes aureus: spatial distribution of densities in the littoral zone of Sfax (south Tunisia)
Polititapes aureus: spatial distribution of densities in the littoral zone of Sfax (south Tunisia)

Figure 3

Polititapes aureus: spatial distribution of biomass in the littoral zone of Sfax (south Tunisia)
Polititapes aureus: spatial distribution of biomass in the littoral zone of Sfax (south Tunisia)

Figure 4

Polititapes aureus stock levels in the colonized zones and their standard errors (± SE) in the littoral zone of Sfax (south Tunisia)
Polititapes aureus stock levels in the colonized zones and their standard errors (± SE) in the littoral zone of Sfax (south Tunisia)

Figure 5

Polititapes aureus: similarity dendrograms for the colonized zones (average group) in the littoral zone of Sfax (south Tunisia)
Polititapes aureus: similarity dendrograms for the colonized zones (average group) in the littoral zone of Sfax (south Tunisia)

Figure 6

Polititapes aureus: length–frequency distribution from the Sfax coastline (south Tunisia)
Polititapes aureus: length–frequency distribution from the Sfax coastline (south Tunisia)

Figure 7

Polititapes aureus: relationship between shell length (SL) and total weight (TW) in the littoral zone of Sfax (south Tunisia)
Polititapes aureus: relationship between shell length (SL) and total weight (TW) in the littoral zone of Sfax (south Tunisia)

Surface area, the number of transects and replicates and stock levels (means ± SE) of Polititapes aureus in the shellfish production area of Sfax (south Tunisia)

Sites Surface (ha) % of total surface Number of transects Number of replicates Mean density (ind. m−2) ± SE Mean biomass (g m−2) ± SE
Site 1 505 12.08 18 130 0.92 ± 0.3 2.74 ± 1.0
Site 2 265 6.34 11 62 1.68 ± 0.7 6.12 ± 2.9
Site 3 146 3.49 12 50 0 0
Site 4 379 9.06 16 82 1.32 ± 0.4 5.38 ± 1.5
Site 5 535 12.79 24 168 0.90 ± 0.2 1.34 ± 0.3
Site 6 310 7.41 9 62 1.61 ± 0.4 3.08 ± 0.9
Site 7 960 22.95 11 72 3.83 ± 1.8 6.28 ± 1.9
Site 8 600 14.35 6 42 1.24 ± 0.5 4.07 ± 1.7
Site 9 87 2.08 8 72 1.0 ± 0.4 2.80 ± 1.0
Site 10 395 9.45 28 226 5.65 ± 1.3 11.88 ± 3.1
Total 4182 100 143 966 2.34 ± 0.4 5.28 ± 0.8

Sediment type and organic matter content recorded in the shellfish production area of Sfax (south Tunisia)

Sites % Gravel % Coarse % Medium sand % Fine sand % Silt/clay Organic matter content (%)
Site 1 0 5.68 22.31 62.08 9.93 14.02
Site 2 0.03 3.62 25.82 63.12 7.41 11.03
Site 3 0.42 4.72 26.06 68.02 0.78 19.27
Site 4 0.11 7.52 27.63 61.17 3.57 18.11
Site 5 1.11 11.53 26.02 50.05 11.29 16.01
Site 6 4.71 12.97 24.19 38.72 19.41 8.54
Site 7 2.42 9.82 28.02 46.48 13.26 19.01
Site 8 4.82 10.93 28.30 41.81 14.14 6.72
Site 9 0.10 1.52 19.12 79.18 0.08 22.13
Site 10 0.09 2.54 38.15 57.19 2.03 17.14

Polititapes aureus. Variability of minimum (Min.), maximum (Max), average (Mean), standard error (SE) and mode values of shell length (SL) in the shellfish production area of Sfax (south Tunisia), N (number of harvested specimens)

Sites N Min. SL (mm) Max SL (mm) Mean SL (mm) SE Mode
Site 1 30 8.30 29.15 23.82 0.86 27.00
Site 2 26 21.30 29.80 26.10 0.43 27.00
Site 3 0 0 0 0 0 0
Site 4 27 6.70 32.65 25.06 1.11 25.00
Site 5 38 6.70 27.10 18.41 1.14 10.00
Site 6 25 9.50 30.70 20.43 1.21 19.00
Site 7 69 8.15 30.25 19.16 0.79 24.00
Site 8 13 14.00 30.50 25.95 1.15 26.00
Site 9 18 17.50 29.45 23.85 0.93 27.00
Site 10 319 4.90 35.34 22.34 0.26 23.00
eISSN:
1897-3191
Language:
English
Publication timeframe:
4 times per year
Journal Subjects:
Chemistry, other, Geosciences, Life Sciences