Environmental hypoxia but not minor shell damage affects scope for growth and body condition in the blue mussel Mytilus edulis (L.).
The effects of short-term (7 d) exposure to environmental hypoxia (2.11 mg O₂ L⁻¹; control: 6.96 mg O₂ L⁻¹) and varying degrees of shell damage (1 or 2, 1 mm diameter holes; control: no holes) on respiration rate, clearance rate, ammonia excretion rate, scope for growth (SFG) and body condition index were investigated in adult blue mussels (Mytilus edulis). There was a significant hypoxia-related reduction in SFG (>6.70 to 0.92 J g⁻¹ h⁻¹) primarily due to a reduction in energy acquisition as a result of reduced clearance rates during hypoxia. Shell damage had no significant affect on any of the physiological processes measured or the SFG calculated. Body condition was unaffected by hypoxia or shell damage. In conclusion, minor physical damage to mussels had no effect on physiological energetics but environmental hypoxia compromised growth, respiration and energy acquisition presumably by reducing feeding rates.
Marine Biology and Ecology Research Centre, School of Marine Science & Engineering, Plymouth University, Drake Circus, Plymouth PL4 8AA, UK; Plymouth Marine Laboratory, Prospect Place, West Hoe, Plymouth PL1 3DH, UK.
Trystan
T
Sanders
Plymouth Marine Laboratory, Prospect Place, West Hoe, Plymouth PL1 3DH, UK.
Steve
S
Widdicombe
Marine Biology and Ecology Research Centre, School of Marine Science & Engineering, Plymouth University, Drake Circus, Plymouth PL4 8AA, UK; Plymouth Marine Laboratory, Prospect Place, West Hoe, Plymouth PL1 3DH, UK.
Ruth
R
Calder-Potts
Marine Biology and Ecology Research Centre, School of Marine Science & Engineering, Plymouth University, Drake Circus, Plymouth PL4 8AA, UK. Electronic address: J.I.Spicer@plymouth.ac.uk.
John I
JI
Spicer
D060105:Animal Shells / Q000293:injuries*; D000818:Animals; D001824:Body Constitution; D015687:Cell Hypoxia / Q000502:physiology*; D004777:Environment; D049880:Mytilus edulis / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology*
Ecophysiology; Eutrophication; Hypoxia; Multiple stresses; Mytilus edulis; North-western Europe; Scope for growth; Shell damage