Interacting effects of wave exposure, tidal height and substratum on spatial variation in densities of mussel Perna perna plantigrades

McQuaid, Christopher D.; Lindsay, James R.

doi:10.3354/meps301173

Cited by 43 publications

(28 citation statements)

References 78 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…To our knowledge, there has been no observation of P. perna naturally re-colonising a cleared area where it is otherwise dominant; instead this results in algae and barnacles taking over the empty habitat (Hockey & Bosman 1986). In fact, the vast majority of P. perna recruits are found either among algae or among adult mussels (Erlandsson & McQuaid 2004, McQuaid & Lindsay 2005, so that colonisation of free space is likely to be by encroachment rather than settlement.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Re-colonisation rate differs between co-existing indigenous and invasive intertidal mussels following major disturbance

Erlandsson¹,

Pal²,

McQuaid³

2006

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The potential of introduced species to become invasive is often linked to their ability to colonise disturbed habitats rapidly. We studied the effects of major disturbance by severe storms on the indigenous mussel Perna perna and the invasive mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis in sympatric intertidal populations on the south coast of South Africa. At the study sites, these species dominate different shore levels and co-exist in the mid mussel zone. We tested the hypotheses that in the midzone P. perna would suffer less dislodgment than M. galloprovincialis, because of its greater tenacity, while M. galloprovincialis would respond with a higher re-colonisation rate. We estimated the percent cover of the 2 mussels in the mid-zone from photographs, once before severe storms and 3 times afterwards. M. galloprovincialis showed faster re-colonisation and 3 times more cover than P. perna 1 and 1.5 yr after the storms (when populations had recovered). Storm-driven dislodgment in the midzone was highest for the species that initially dominated at each site, conforming to the concept of compensatory mortality. This resulted in similar cover of the 2 species immediately after the storms. Thus, the storm wave forces exceeded the tenacity even of P. perna, while the higher recruitment rate of M. galloprovincialis can explain its greater colonisation ability. We predict that, because of its weaker attachment strength, M. galloprovincialis will be largely excluded from open coast sites where wave action is generally stronger, but that its greater capacity for exploitation competition through re-colonisation will allow it to outcompete P. perna in more sheltered areas (especially in bays) that are periodically disturbed by storms.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Re-colonisation rate differs between co-existing indigenous and invasive intertidal mussels following major disturbance

Erlandsson¹,

Pal²,

McQuaid³

2006

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Therefore, the information presented in most studies varies from incomplete but compelling to outright inadequate to understand the settlement process in most mussel species. For instance, many published studies designed to evaluate the primary−secondary settlement model in Perna perna, M. edulis, M. trossulus, and M. galloprovincialis simply document length−frequency distributions of mussel recruits in different intertidal 'natural' substrates or attempt to evaluate the level of synchrony in recruitment events over variable periods of time into mussel beds and 'alternative' algal habitat (McGrath et al 1988, Cáceres-Martínez et al 1993, Lasiak & Barnard 1995, Erlandsson & McQuaid 2004, McQuaid & Lindsay 2005, Reaugh et al 2007. A few studies have also examined larval size in the water column and measured plantigrade growth rates (e.g.…”

Section: Larval Competency and Onshore Settlementmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Avoidance of cannibalism by adults has also been suggested as a pressure to avoid larger conspecifics in mussel beds (Porri et al 2008a). Since Bayne's (1964) work, many studies have tested this 'primary−secondary' hypothesis in different intertidal mussel species and along different coasts of the world, with weak support at best for the original model, but most have evidenced the common occurrence of mobile postlarval stages (McGrath et al 1988, Hunt & Scheibling 1995, Lasiak & Barnard 1995, McQuaid & Lindsay 2005, Porri et al 2006, 2008a, Reaugh et al 2007, Erlandsson et al 2008, Bownes & McQuaid 2009, Le Corre et al 2013. Resolving how settlement takes place in these species is, unfortunately, laden with logistical difficulties inherent to the type of environment they inhabit, presenting researchers with the challenging task of piecing together disparate fragments of empirical evidence.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…McGrath et al 1988, Reaugh et al 2007). Regrettably, with few exceptions (McQuaid & Lindsay 2005), high-frequency observations (e.g. daily) of the arrival of new mussel settlers and of their body sizes, together with examination of the physical processes that can modulate onshore settlement, have not been part of these studies.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Regardless of the potential adaptive value of the different larval stages and of the 'primary−secondary' settlement model, a basic understanding of mussel settlement on the rocky shore should differentiate among (1) settlement of pediveliger larvae that have dispersed during their development in the plankton and metamorphosed upon reaching the intertidal zone; (2) settlement of planktonic postlarvae, which may contribute significantly to overall dispersal after metamorphosis and resuspension; and (3) 'secondary' settlement of plantigrade larvae that have already settled on the benthic habitat some short distance away. Identifying and ideally quantifying the importance of these processes is critical to correctly infer transport processes and associated scales of dispersal from settlement observations (McQuaid & Phillips 2000, Largier 2003, Smith et al 2009, Pineda et al 2010, Le Corre et al 2013 or to assess the magnitude and sources of post-settlement mortality (McQuaid & Lindsay 2005). In the case of coexisting mussel species, many important interactions may take place at the transition between settlement from the plankton and secondary settlement by plantigrades (Bownes & McQuaid 2006, Porri et al 2007.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Tumbling under the surf: wave-modulated settlement of intertidal mussels and the continuous settlement-relocation model

Navarrete¹,

Largier

Vera³

et al. 2015

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

For many mussel species, the model of planktonic development followed by metamorphosis and settlement in the benthic habitat is complicated by the existence of planktonic post-metamorphic stages and/or pediveliger benthic stages that can relocate after initial settlement. This has led to the long-standing hypothesis of 'primary' settlement from the plankton onto intertidal algal substrate followed by 'secondary' relocation to mussel beds. Here, we investigate settlement of the intertidal mussels Perumytilus purpuratus and Semimytilus algosus in central Chile to test this hypothesis and explore physical drivers. Our results indicate that: (1) these species do not have planktonic post-metamorphic stages, (2) larvae typically arrive to the intertidal zone at a size 80-150 µm larger than the largest planktonic larva, which based on growth rates, corresponds to a 3-20 d delay, (3) there are no differences in pediveliger sizes between different algal substrates, mussel beds, or artificial collectors, and (4) there is no evidence that larvae metamorphose in the intertidal and grow in alternative habitat before relocation to mussel beds. In 2 summers, daily settlement of both species was tightly and positively associated with wave height, despite large inter-annual variability in wind conditions. Our results reject the primary-secondary settlement hypothesis and support a new settlement model in which, after metamorphosis beyond the surf zone, the negatively buoyant settlers become semi-benthic and readily sink to the bottom. There, they can be transported onshore through the surf-zone by wave-driven near-bed transport. The process of tumbling under the surf may take from a few hours to several days, with larvae arriving at the shoreline in a wide range of sizes at any given time. For some larvae, relocation continues in the intertidal zone for months.

show abstract

Reproduction, Larval Development, Dispersal and Recruitment

2021

Marine Mussels

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Interacting effects of wave exposure, tidal height and substratum on spatial variation in densities of mussel Perna perna plantigrades

Cited by 43 publications

References 78 publications

Re-colonisation rate differs between co-existing indigenous and invasive intertidal mussels following major disturbance

Re-colonisation rate differs between co-existing indigenous and invasive intertidal mussels following major disturbance

Tumbling under the surf: wave-modulated settlement of intertidal mussels and the continuous settlement-relocation model

Reproduction, Larval Development, Dispersal and Recruitment

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About