Phytoplankton-Mussel Bed Interactions in Intertidal Ecosystems

Asmus, Harald; Asmus, Ragnhild

doi:10.1007/978-3-642-78353-1_3

Cited by 41 publications

(19 citation statements)

References 64 publications

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“…Asmus & Asmus 1993. Plant and animal communities occur in various proportions on the different substrate types and tidal reaches.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The concentrations and standing stocks of the non-living compartments, i.e. suspended particular organic carbon (SuspPOC), sediment particular organic carbon (SedPOC), and dissolved organic carbon (DOC), were taken from the studies of Asmus & Asmus (1993, 1998) and R. . Data on the biomass of sediment and pelagic bacteria were obtained from Kirchman et al (1986), Schulz (1990) and Rusch et al (2001).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Energy flow of a boreal intertidal ecosystem, the Sylt-Rømø Bight

Baird¹,

Asmus

Asmus³

2004

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

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A detailed energy flow model consisting of 56 living and 3 non-living compartments was assembled for the intertidal area of the Sylt-Rømø Bight. The model depicts the biomass of each compartment, carbon flow between the components, imports and exports, as well as an energy budget for each. The food web was analysed by means of network analysis which showed that about 17% of the total daily flow through the system is recycled through a complex cycling structure consisting of 1197 cycles. The cycling network indicated that about 99% of the recycling involves 2 to 3 compartments, with sediment bacteria and particulate organic carbon (POC) participating in most instances. Input/output analyses indicated that phytoplankton production in the Bight does not satisfy the demands of filter-feeders on an annual average basis so that about 160 mg C m -2 d -1 of phytoplankton have to be imported. We compared several dimensionless system level indices, such as internalised and normalised A/DC (ascendancy/development capacity) ratios, calculated for the Bight with those of other marine and estuarine ecosystems on a global basis. These comparisons showed that energy is rather inefficiently transferred within the Bight at a mean trophic efficiency index of 2.61%, and that most of the system level indices are lower than those of other coastal ecosystems. However, higher values were obtained for flow diversity and food web connectance compared to other systems. This study has revealed the Bight to be a highly complex system whose energy pathways appear to be sensitive to external perturbations.

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“…Asmus & Asmus 1993. Plant and animal communities occur in various proportions on the different substrate types and tidal reaches.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Energy flow of a boreal intertidal ecosystem, the Sylt-Rømø Bight

Baird¹,

Asmus

Asmus³

2004

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

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“…Additionally, bivalves can be instrumental in regenerating nutrients for phytoplankton production in coastal waters (Kelly et al 1985). Thus, marine bivalves can effectively remove particulate matter from the water column and, through biodeposition, profoundly affect the geochemical properties of sediments (Asmus and Asmus 1993). Because suspended particles (including phytoplankton) can scavenge and concentrate trace elements very appreciably from seawater (Fisher 1986), the removal of organic matter due to bivalve feeding may have a significant impact on the geochemical cycling of trace elements in coastal waters.…”

Section: Acknowledgmentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assimilation of trace elements and carbon by the mussel Mytilus edulis: Effects of food composition

Wang¹,

Fisher²

1996

Limnology & Oceanography

234

190

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Assimilation efficiency (AE) is an important physiological parameter in determining trace element influx from food sources into aquatic animals. We used radiotracer techniques to examine the influence of diet [seven species of algae (two diatoms, two chlorophytes, a prasinophyte, and two dinoflagellates) and glass beads] on the assimilation of seven trace elements (Ag, Am, Cd, Co, Cr, Se, Zn) and C in the mussel Mytilus edulis. Trace element assimilation was related to C assimilation and cytoplasmic distribution in the algae and to gut passage time in the mussels. Mussels displayed different C AEs for the different algal diets; the chlorophytes, which had highly refractory cell walls, were the least digestible food. Assimilation of Cd, Se, and Zn was directly correlated with C assimilation; for Am, Ag, and Cr, no relationship with C assimilation was apparent. For each species except the chlorophytes, AEs of all elements significantly correlated with their cytoplasmic distribution within each algal cell. Among all species, AEs of Am, Co, and Se also increased with elemental penetration into the cytoplasm; however, this relationship was not statistically significant for Ag, Cd, or Zn. With the exception of Cr, AEs of elements increased with gut passage time, implying more efficient digestion-absorption when the element was retained longer in the digestive tract. In waters containing large mussel populations, unassimilated particle-reactive elements should be removed from suspension and enriched in biodeposits in sediments, whereas assimilated metals should be enriched in mussel tissues.For bivalve molluscs, both dissolved and particulate sources can contribute to metal accumulation in tissues. Uptake of metals from the dissolved phase occurs primarily across the gills, after which metals are transported into various organs. Accumulation of metals from particulate sources occurs by ingesting and assimilating metals from particulate sources. Metal influx from particles is a direct function of the assimilation efficiency (AE) of metals, the metal concentration in the ingested particles, and the ingestion activity of the animal (Thomann 198 1;Luoma et al. 1992). Assimilation represents a first-order physiological process that can be compared among different metals, food types, and environmental conditions, and AE can be used to measure metal bioavailability from specific foods.l Corresponding author.

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“…feeding rate, sediment resuspension, nutrient exchange) associated with mussel beds under changing flow conditions. These have involved different types of flumes and benthic ecosystem tunnels, both in the laboratory (Wildish and Miyares 1990;Widdows et al 1998a;Newell 1999) and in the field (Asmus et al 1992;Asmus and Asmus 1993;Dame 1993;Prins et al 1996). In situ flume and tunnel studies have relied upon the prevailing tidal currents and therefore no relationships between feeding rate or resuspension and current velocity have been established.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Investigation of the effects of current velocity on mussel feeding and mussel bed stability using an annular flume

et al. 2002

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An annular flume was used to measure the effect of increasing current velocity on mussel (Mytilus edulis) feeding rate and the stability of mussel beds sampled from the mouth of the Exe estuary (SW England). It was found that, in contrast to earlier flume studies, the feeding rates of mussels from open coast sites were unaffected by current velocities up to 0.8 m s -1 . Algal cell depletion in the water column above mussels was a function of current velocity, increasing with declining currents below 0.05 m s -1 . The erodability/stability of the mussel bed, measured in terms of critical erosion velocity, sediment mass eroded and mean erosion rate, was found to be a function of the nature of the substrate and the density of the mussels. Erosion of mussel beds on sandy substrate showed a non-linear relationship with mussel bed density. In comparison with the sand (0% mussel cover), sediment resuspension was about five and four times higher for 25% and 50% cover, respectively. This was due to the increased turbulence and scouring around the clumps of mussels in low-density parts of the bed, and this resulted in some mussels detaching from the bed. At ~100% mussel cover, the sandy bed was more protected by the dense surface layer of mussels, and none became detached during erosion due to the high number of byssal attachments between individuals. The sediment resuspension from the 100% mussel cover was about three times lower than the 0% cover. Erosion of the bed with 50% cover resulted in burial of a large proportion of the mussels, with a 6 cm increase in sediment level. However, the mussels returned to the surface and recovered in 1-2 days, due to a combination of migration upwards and substrate settlement. Channels on the edge of the main Exmouth mussel bed were characterised by a more stable substrate comprising pebbles and sand with varying mussel densities. At these sites, where mussels experience high current velocities on spring tides (up to 0.9 m s -1 ), there was no difference between the erodability of pebble/sand substrate with 0% and 100% mussel cover. The sediment erosion was also lower than the 100% mussel cover on the sandy substrate, particularly at currents >0.4 m s -1 . Sampling of different parts of the mussel bed at Exmouth showed mussels at low densities were made up of smaller clumps with a lower mass ratio of mussels to attached substrate (pebbles/sand), thus providing a greater degree of anchorage.

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Phytoplankton-Mussel Bed Interactions in Intertidal Ecosystems

Cited by 41 publications

References 64 publications

Energy flow of a boreal intertidal ecosystem, the Sylt-Rømø Bight

Energy flow of a boreal intertidal ecosystem, the Sylt-Rømø Bight

Assimilation of trace elements and carbon by the mussel Mytilus edulis: Effects of food composition

Investigation of the effects of current velocity on mussel feeding and mussel bed stability using an annular flume

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