Physiological Status and Biochemical Composition of a Natural Population of Unionid Mussels (Amblema plicata) Infested by Zebra Mussels (Dreissena polymorpha)

We compared the physiological status and biochemical composition of unionid mussels (Amblema plicata) from a riverine population with and without attached zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha). Unionid specimens were collected from Lake Pepin, Mississippi River, WI and MN, where both infested and non...

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Published inThe American midland naturalist Vol. 143; no. 2; pp. 443 - 452
Main Authors BAKER, S. M, HORNBACH, D. J
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Notre Dame University of Notre Dame 01.04.2000
American Midland Naturalist
Subjects
Ammonia
Anatomy & physiology
Average linear density
Biochemistry
Body tissues
Contents
Excretion
Fresh water
Lakes
Lipids
Mussels
Oxygen
Shellfish
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Summary:We compared the physiological status and biochemical composition of unionid mussels (Amblema plicata) from a riverine population with and without attached zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha). Unionid specimens were collected from Lake Pepin, Mississippi River, WI and MN, where both infested and noninfested unionids were experiencing local increases in water clarity. Infested specimens had higher ammonia excretion rates, lower respiration to nitrogen excretion ratios and lower clearance rates than noninfested specimens. Infested specimens also had lower carbohydrate and protein contents. Zebra mussel infested unionids had depleted energy stores and we hypothesize that they were starving, relative to noninfested individuals from the same location. This comparison helps to clarify the nature of zebra mussel impacts on unionids by showing that direct attachment is a very important component of the effect of zebra mussel populations on unionids.
ISSN:0003-0031
1938-4238
DOI:10.1674/0003-0031(2000)143[0443:PSABCO]2.0.CO;2