Resumo

PRIETO, Antulio S; ARRIECHE, Dwight  e  GARCIA, Yelitza. Population dynamics aspects of perna viridis (linnaeus, 1758) in the morro de guarapo, Araya peninsula, Venezuela. INCI [online]. 2009, vol.34, n.3, pp.202-208. ISSN 0378-1844.

The green mussel Perna viridis, native of the Indo-Pacific Ocean has colonized successfully since 1995 the coast of the Araya peninsula, Venezuela, causing large impacts on coastal communities. Aspects of population dynamic such as mortality, growth and elimination in a natural population at the Morro de Guarapo, Sucre state, Venezuela was determined. Monthly samplings were carried out between February 00 and January 00. Two recruitments of small individuals per year were identified; the strongest event in February 00 (I; Lt= 8.60mm) and April 00 (III; Lt= 5.80mm) and a less important one in August. Two cohorts of adult mussels were identified in February 00 (II) and May 00 (V). Cohort I was the most abundant and declined from February 00 (883.50/m²) to December 00 (26.38/m²) with a annual mortality rate of 97% and elimination of 192.15g/m²/year. Total elimination for all cohorts was 232.75g/m²/year. Cohort III declined from April 00 to January 01 with a annual mortality rate of 94% and elimination of 40.54g/m²/year. Estimations of growth parameters in both cohorts were L¥= 101.49mm, K= 0.988/year (I) and L¥= 98.71mm, K= 1.45/year (III), respectively. Mortality estimations using the length-converted catch curve method for large mussels (62.01-86.00mm) and small mussels (10.01-50.00mm) confirmed the highest mortality rates obtained in the cohorts. P. viridis has a large ecological and fishery potential in the area owing to its continuous gametogenic cycle and high growth rate, however, being an invasive species it is recommended to continue monitoring it to evaluate the impact on environment and indigenous species.

Palavras-chave : Crecimiento; Dinámica Poblacional; Mortalidad; Península de Araya; Perna viridis; Venezuela.