Influence of temperature and food availability on the biochemical composition and mortality of juvenile Mercenaria mercenaria (L.) during the over-winter period

Over-winter mortality of juvenile aquacultured northern quahogs (=hard clams), Mercenaria mercenaria, is a significant problem for the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast aquaculturists. Although protecting seed from predators improves survival, significant mortalities still frequently exceed 50%. The mortality has been attributed to severe winter temperatures, however, this suggestion has yet to be systematically investigated. We hypothesize that extended periods of low water temperatures (