Aquatic Sciences Meeting, Albuquerque 2001

SS38 From Molecules to Ecosystems: A Hierarchy of Mussel Biology and Ecology (Spatial and Temporal Connections)

Date: Tuesday, February 13, 2001, Time: 10:30:00 AM

Location: Cimarron

Levinton, J, , S.U.N.Y. at Stony Brook, Stony Brook, USA, levinton@life.bio.sunysb.edu

Ward, J, E, UCONN Marine Sciences, Groton, USA, jeward@uconnvm.uconn.edu

Shumway, S, E, Southampton College, Southampton, USA, sshumway@sunburn.liunet.edu

MUSSEL FEEDING SELECTIVITY: FEEDBACK BETWEEN INDIVIDUAL FUNCTION AND ECOSYSTEM PROCESSES

We have developed a quantitative assay of feeding selectivity and morphological function in mussels and other bivalves by combining video endoscopy, flow cytometry, and precision sampling from specific sites on pallial organs, especially ciliary tracts. This allows estimates of the benefits of water column particles to mussels and also the possibility of posing hypotheses of their effects on water column particle type abundances. Strong selectivity for particles of high nutritional value occurs invariably: Mussels preferentially reject particles of low nutritional quality, such as particles with high cellulose and can preingestively select against particles with high loads of toxic seondary compounds, such as those produced by some kelps. Mussels and other bivalves show a surprising diversity of functional modes of selectivity: Mytilids select among particles using the palps, whereas oysters and dreissenid freshwater mussels select particles on the gills. Measures of selectivity helped predict the effect of mussels on the change of phytoplankton species dominance in an estuary, but such changes are strongly affected by hydrodynamic factors, such as resuspension of pseudofeces.

This Session Listing

Aquatic Sciences Meeting, Albuquerque 2001

Quicklinks