Loading...
Publication
Latitudinal incidence of phototrophic shell-degrading endoliths and their effects on mussel bed microclimates
| Name: | Description: | Size: | Format: | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.44 MB | Adobe PDF |
Advisor(s)
Abstract(s)
Aggregations of organisms commonly benefit their members by mitigating the effects of predators and environmental stresses. Mussel aggregations also form important intertidal matrices that support associated infaunal communities, the structures of which are largely shaped by the conditions within the interstitial spaces. Intertidal mussels are frequently parasitized by phototrophic endoliths that infest the shell and have thermoregulatory effects on both solitary and aggregated mussels by changing shell albedo. A large-scale sampling was carried out May June 2016 along Portuguese and Moroccan shores to investigate a latitudinal gradient of endolithic infestation of the intertidal mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis. Endolithic infestation increased towards lower latitudes most likely as a response of greater light availability. Additionally, artificial beds of either 100% non-infested or infested biomimetic mussels were used to test whether infestation alters the temperature and humidity of the interstitial spaces within beds, and if mussels surrounded by infested mussels experience lower body temperatures than those surrounded by non-infested ones. Conditions within beds of infested mussels were significantly cooler and more humid than in non-infested beds and individuals in the centre of infested mussel beds experienced significantly lower body temperatures. Under a scenario of warming climate, endolithic infestation of mussel beds might thus represent an ecological advantage not only for M. galloprovincialis as a species but also for the associated communities.
Description
Keywords
Rocky intertidal zone Vertical zonation Climate-change Perna-perna Stress Aggregation Infestation Temperature Environment Community
Citation
Publisher
Springer Heidelberg