Shell properties of commercial clam Chamelea gallina are influenced by temperature and solar radiation along a wide latitudinal gradient.
Phenotype can express different morphologies in response to biotic or abiotic environmental influences. Mollusks are particularly sensitive to different environmental parameters, showing macroscale shell morphology variations in response to environmental parameters. Few studies concern shell variations at the different scale levels along environmental gradients. Here, we investigate shell features at the macro, micro and nanoscale, in populations of the commercially important clam Chamelea gallina along a latitudinal gradient (~400 km) of temperature and solar radiation in the Adriatic Sea (Italian cost). Six populations of clams with shells of the same length were analyzed. Shells from the warmest and the most irradiated population were thinner, with more oval shape, more porous and lighter, showing lower load fracture. However, no variation was observed in shell CaCO3polymorphism (100% aragonite) or in compositional and textural shell parameters, indicating no effect of the environmental parameters on the basic processes of biomineralization. Because of the importance of this species as commercial resource in the Adriatic Sea, the experimentally quantified and significant variations of mass and fracture load in C. gallina shells along the latitudinal gradient may have economic implications for fisheries producing different economical yield for fishermen and consumers along the Adriatic coastline.
Marine Science Group, Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, University of Bologna, Via F. Selmi 3, I-40126 Bologna, Italy, European Union.
Francesca
F
Gizzi
Marine Science Group, Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, University of Bologna, Via F. Selmi 3, I-40126 Bologna, Italy, European Union.
Maria Giulia
MG
Caccia
Marine Science Group, Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, University of Bologna, Via F. Selmi 3, I-40126 Bologna, Italy, European Union.
Ginevra Allegra
GA
Simoncini
Marine Science Group, Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, University of Bologna, Via F. Selmi 3, I-40126 Bologna, Italy, European Union.|Laboratory of Fisheries and Marine Biology at Fano, University of Bologna, Viale Adriatico 1/N, I-61032, Fano (PU), Italy, European Union.
Arianna
A
Mancuso
Department of Chemistry "Giacomo Ciamician", University of Bologna, Via F. Selmi 2, I-40126 Bologna, Italy, European Union.
Michela
M
Reggi
Department of Chemistry "Giacomo Ciamician", University of Bologna, Via F. Selmi 2, I-40126 Bologna, Italy, European Union.
Simona
S
Fermani
Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Bologna, Viale Berti Pichat 6/2, 40127 Bologna, Italy, European Union.|Museo Storico della Fisica e Centro Studi e Ricerche Enrico Fermi, Piazza del Viminale 1, Roma, Italy, European Union.
Leonardo
L
Brizi
Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Bologna, Viale Berti Pichat 6/2, 40127 Bologna, Italy, European Union.|Museo Storico della Fisica e Centro Studi e Ricerche Enrico Fermi, Piazza del Viminale 1, Roma, Italy, European Union.
Paola
P
Fantazzini
Laboratory of Fisheries and Marine Biology at Fano, University of Bologna, Viale Adriatico 1/N, I-61032, Fano (PU), Italy, European Union.
Marco
M
Stagioni
Department of Chemistry "Giacomo Ciamician", University of Bologna, Via F. Selmi 2, I-40126 Bologna, Italy, European Union.
Giuseppe
G
Falini
Laboratory of Fisheries and Marine Biology at Fano, University of Bologna, Viale Adriatico 1/N, I-61032, Fano (PU), Italy, European Union.
Corrado
C
Piccinetti
Marine Science Group, Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, University of Bologna, Via F. Selmi 3, I-40126 Bologna, Italy, European Union.
Stefano
S
Goffredo
D060105:Animal Shells / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000737:chemistry; D000818:Animals; D049872:Bivalvia / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology* / Q000528:radiation effects; D002119:Calcium Carbonate / Q000032:analysis; D055119:Elastic Modulus; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D016062:Porosity; D017550:Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared; D013472:Sunlight; D013696:Temperature; D014961:X-Ray Diffraction
D002119:Calcium Carbonate