Skeletal Na, Mn, and Fe in Dendraster — Harris and Pilkey 
237 
TABLE 1 
Summary of Analytical Data 
LOCATION 
NO. 
Na 
Mn 
Fe 
LOCATION 
NO. 
Na 
Mn 
Fe 
1 
8,200* 
12 
160 
12 
4,900 
18 
430 
1 
9,400 
14 
230 
12 
4,200 
21 
380 
1 
10,000 
14 
260 
12 
4,500 
19 
260 
2 
6,800 
15 
320 
13 
5,000 
60 
340 
2 
6,100 
15 
280 
13 
4,500 
44 
200 
2 
10,400 
15 
240 
13 
4,200 
40 
200 
3 
7,200 
18 
160 
15 
4,000 
31 
140 
3 
8,400 
18 
200 
15 
4,000 
30 
180 
3 
7,800 
19 
200 
15 
4,400 
31 
270 
4 
7,200 
21 
320 
16 
5,700 
20 
160 
4 
8,400 
22 
340 
16 
4,900 
18 
260 
4 
7,800 
21 
320 
16 
5,400 
22 
190 
5 
5,500 
18 
310 
18 
5,800 
70 
160 
5 
5,000 
19 
440 
18 
4,500 
47 
220 
5 
4,900 
22 
520 
18 
5,000 
64 
140 
6 
9,000 
45 
240 
19 
5,300 
59 
240 
6 
6,000 
26 
240 
19 
5,700 
44 
180 
6 
7,000 
27 
230 
19 
5,400 
65 
150 
7 
12,200 
16 
220 
20 
9,200 
25 
350 
7 
9,200 
19 
160 
20 
7,200 
22 
320 
7 
7,000 
31 
190 
21 
8,000 
19 
190 
8 
5,300 
64 
230 
21 
5,700 
21 
200 
8 
6,200 
72 
270 
21 
5,300 
23 
180 
8 
5,300 
77 
260 
22 
5,400 
40 
220 
9 
5,700 
57 
300 
22 
4,500 
35 
140 
9 
5,700 
82 
200 
22 
4,300 
46 
260 
9 
4,900 
94 
220 
23 
9,800 
91 
620 
10 
6,000 
23 
230 
23 
12,200 
86 
480 
10 
8,000 
27 
260 
23 
9,800 
74 
620 
10 
7,600 
31 
190 
24 
4,900 
26 
270 
11 
5,800 
34 
350 
24 
3,800 
29 
150 
11 
4,500 
32 
320 
24 
4,000 
27 
230 
11 
6,200 
35 
420 
* All quantities expressed as ppm. 
DISCUSSION 
Linear correlation coefficients were calculated 
for the relationships between composition and 
water temperatures. When using all the data, 
only the inverse Mn relationship is barely sig- 
nificant (95% confidence level). Removal of 
the bay forms from consideration results in a 
strong significant direct relationship between 
Na content and water temperature, but has little 
effect on the Mn curve. The Fe content exhibits 
no significant relationship with temperature. 
Distinct interpopulation differences in the 
concentration of these elements exist, but it is 
apparent that differences in temperature and 
salinity are only partially responsible for these 
compositional differences. Other previously 
cited trace element studies of individual species, 
in which environmental effects were observed, 
also indicate that temperature and salinity dif- 
ferences are only partly responsible for com- 
positional differences. Part of the problem in 
this and in the other studies has been the dif- 
ficulty in estimating reliably the natural en- 
vironmental conditions under which skeletal 
material was deposited. Furthermore, it may 
well be that presently unevaluated metabolic 
and crystal growth effects (which may or may 
not be related to external environmental condi- 
