Resumen

PRIETO, Antulio; MONTES, Andrés  y  RUIZ, Lilia J. Biomass production potential in a natural population of the oyster crassostrea rhizophorae in laguna grande de obispo; Cariaco Gulf; Venezuela. INCI [online]. 2008, vol.33, n.10, pp.747-753. ISSN 0378-1844.

The oyster Crassostrea rhizophorae is a bivalve of commercial interest, common in mangrove communities of eastern Venezuela. This study was conducted in order to evaluate the production of biomass of species in a natural population of Laguna Grande de Obispo, Cariaco Gulf, Venezuela. Monthly samplings were carried out between May 2002 and May 2003 in two stations. Using a simple random sampling design, the abundance and biomass of bivalves fixed on mangrove roots Rhizophora manglae were determined, estimating the secondary production by the specific growth rate method. Mean density was 818.13ind/m² and mean biomass was 662.39g/m² of root, without significant differences between stations and months. Using a growth equation with final parameters L¥= 87.68 and K= 0.19/month, a total secondary production of 2355.546g/m²/year was obtained, individuals 50.01-60.00mm long providing most of it (382.353g/m²/year). Maximum production were obtained in Jan-Feb 2002 (243.906g/m²/year) and minimum in May-June 2002 (100.80g/m²/year). Individual production was 43.283g/m², with the same temporal tendency of total production. Although the correlation between increments of production and temperature and salinity was not determined, the highest production occurs during the upwelling period in the area. The production/biomass relationship was 3.54/year, indicating that C. rhizophorae has a large potential for aquaculture in this area, due to its continuous reproduction and high growth and production rates.

Palabras clave : Biomasa; Crassostrea rhizophorae ; Densidad; Ostra; Producción Secundaria; Venezuela.