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Density effects on the clearance rate of the zebra mussel Dreissena polymorpha: flume study results

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Abstract

Zebra mussel filtration rates and regulating factors have been addressed earlier in a number of studies. Still, only a few of them have taken into consideration the refiltration phenomenon, and therefore the direct extrapolation of experimental results may only give the potential filtering capacity, and hence, over- or underestimate the actual amount of seston being removed by zebra mussels in an ecosystem. The current experimental study aimed to gain insight into the refiltration effect on the clearance rate of the zebra mussels at relatively high seston concentrations, and its potential role in controlling the filtration efficiency of the zebra mussel population. The experiment was conducted in a laboratory flume following the Latin squares design with one fixed (mussel density) and three random factors (initial total particulate matter (TPM) concentration, flume “wall effect” and distance from the flume inflow area) considered. The results showed the significant effects of mussel density and the TPM concentration on the effective clearance rate (ECR) of zebra mussels. The higher ECR values were obtained at denser mussel clumps and lower TPM concentrations. The flume “wall effect” had no significant effect on the ECR, whereas the distance from the flume inflow area appeared to have a significant impact. A positive relationship between ECR and the zebra mussel density was most evident in the proximity of the TPM source. Based on the results, we assume that at high TPM concentration, refiltration may assert itself by the elevated net clearance rate of mussels within dense clumps compared to that of mussels at relatively low individual densities. This should be taken into consideration while modelling and assessing the role of the zebra mussel in energy flow and redistribution of organic matter in an ecosystem.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by Theme 6 of the EC seventh framework program through the Marine Ecosystem Evolution in a Changing Environment (MEECE No 212085) Collaborative Project and the EU (European Regional Development Fund) through the Baltic Sea Region Programme project, Sustainable Uses of Baltic Marine Resources (SUBMARINER No. 055). Also we acknowledge the constructive and objective comments provided by the two anonymous reviewers.

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  1. Coastal Research and Planning Institute, Klaipeda University, H. Manto 84, 92294, Klaipeda, Lithuania

    Anastasija Zaiko & Darius Daunys

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  1. Anastasija Zaiko
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  2. Darius Daunys
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Correspondence to Anastasija Zaiko.

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Zaiko, A., Daunys, D. Density effects on the clearance rate of the zebra mussel Dreissena polymorpha: flume study results. Hydrobiologia 680, 79–89 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-011-0904-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-011-0904-0

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