Nutrient regeneration by mussel Mytilus edulis spat assemblages in a macrotidal system

• Published in: Journal of sea research Vol. 88; pp. 36 - 46
• Main Authors: van Broekhoven, Wouter, Troost, Karin, Jansen, Henrice, Smaal, Aad
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier B.V 01.04.2014; Elsevier
• Subjects: Animal and plant ecology; Animal aquaculture; Animal productions; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; aquaculture; biogeochemical fluxes; Biological and medical sciences; budgets; carrying-capacity; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Invertebrate aquaculture; Invertebrates; la-madeleine quebec; Mollusca; Mussel spat; nitrogen; Nutrient feedback; oosterschelde estuary; Pelagic chamber; phytoplankton; rates; Sea water ecosystems; seasonal-variation; Seed Mussel Collector; Spat collector; Suspended mussel culture; Synecology; Spat collector; Mussel spat; Nutrient feedback; Suspended mussel culture; Seed Mussel Collector; Pelagic chamber; Seeds; Mussel breeding; Mytilus edulis; Tides; Pelagic zone; Marine environment; Regeneration; Larva; Bivalvia; Feedback; Collector; Nutrient; Invertebrata; Mollusca; Community
• ISSN: 1385-1101; 1873-1414
• DOI: 10.1016/j.seares.2013.12.007

Besides exercising grazing control over phytoplankton populations, suspension-feeding bivalves can also stimulate carrying capacity by regeneration of nutrients. This study provides new data on nutrient uptake and release dynamics, and potential implications for availability and stoichiometry of nutrients, for Mytilus edulis spat collectors in the Netherlands. Uptake and release rates were measured in situ on intact spat collector ropes in a eutrophic macrotidal system in relation to development of ropes in terms of mussel biomass and associated components (fauna, flora, and organic material). There was a good fit between uptake/release rates and mussel weight based on allometric scaling functions, despite the occurrence of a substantial biomass of associated fauna, flora and organic matter on ropes. On a unit biomass basis, nutrient release rates were much higher than reported in other studies, which we attribute to greater activity of small mussels. Accounting for greater weight-specific activity of small mussels, spat collectors released more P than reported for other systems. We show that spat collectors can affect relative availabilities of N, P and Si, and we show that SMCs (Seed Mussel Collectors) likely stimulated phytoplankton production through regeneration of N and of Si, which were at limiting concentrations at different points in time. In the case of Si, stimulation would be restricted to diatoms. We conclude that SMCs are able to stimulate phytoplankton production rates, and thereby carrying capacity, and are able to influence phytoplankton composition. •Nutrient exchange rates of intact mussel spat collector communities were quantified.•Spat collectors affected relative availability of N, P and Si.•Good fit between fluxes and mussel weight based on allometric scaling functions.•High nutrient release was attributed to high specific activity of small mussel spat.•Spat collectors can stimulate phytoplankton production.