Vol. 53 - Alaska Resources Library and Information Services

Other categories such as mature males and subadult juveniles have been
adequately discussed in other reviews (Armstrong, et al. 1983b; Hayes
1983).
Sexually Mature Females
The relationship of sexually mature female crab to annual reproductive
success and year class strength takes several forms in this analysis.
First, it is assumed that some sort of spawner-recruit relationship does
exist (e.g., Reeves and Marasco 1980) and that natural female abundance
could decline to a point where extraneous perturbations such as oil
would significantly exacerbate already low production of larvae.
Second, the geographic location of spawning female stocks is of great
significance to survival of young-of-the-year juveniles because water
conditions in different areas may result in differential survival of
larvae. Third, the origin of hatch partially determines the locations
of megalopae at the time of metamorphosis and settlement to the benthos;
the type of benthic material onto which juveniles settle is critical for
initial survival.
Direct Effects on Adults. Oil effects on aquatic organisms may be
manifested in several ways (Curl and Manen 1982): 1) rapid mortality
resulting from acute exposures to high doses via external contact,
inhalation and asphyxiation, or assimilation of hydrocarbon compounds
that become toxic at a cellular and biochemical level; 2) bioaccumulation
of sublethal amounts that may cause a decline in general vigor
and are likely be lethal to the organisms (evidenced in reduced growth,
susceptibility to disease, inhibition of feeding); 3) impaired reproduction,
reduced broods and viability of progeny; 4) carcinogenic and
mutagenic causes of tumors and morphological abnormalities; and 5)
uptake of hydrocarbons causing tainting of commercial crab sold as
food.
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