Skip to main content

IMIS

A new integrated search interface will become available in the next phase of marineinfo.org.
For the time being, please use IMIS to search available data

 

[ report an error in this record ]basket (0): add | show Print this page

Effects of live and post-mortem shell structures of invasive Pacific oysters and native blue mussels on macrofauna and fish
Norling, P.; Lindegarth, M.; Lindegarth, S.; Strand, A. (2015). Effects of live and post-mortem shell structures of invasive Pacific oysters and native blue mussels on macrofauna and fish. Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. 518: 123-138. https://dx.doi.org/10.3354/meps11044
In: Marine Ecology Progress Series. Inter-Research: Oldendorf/Luhe. ISSN 0171-8630; e-ISSN 1616-1599, more
Peer reviewed article  

Available in  Authors 

Keywords
    Environmental Management
    Environmental Management > Environmental Management General
    Environmental Managers & Monitoring
    Marine Sciences
    Marine Sciences > Biodiversity
    Policy Makers / Decision Makers
    Scientific Community
    Scientific Publication
    Marine/Coastal
Author keywords
    Non-indigenous species; Ecosystem engineering; Habitat modification;Macroinvertebrates; Infauna; Epibenthic fauna; Sediment community;Crassostrea gigas; Mytilus edulis

Project Top | Authors 
  • Association of European marine biological laboratories, more

Authors  Top 
  • Norling, P.
  • Lindegarth, M.
  • Lindegarth, S.
  • Strand, A.

Abstract
    Blue mussels Mytilus edulis and the invasive Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas are both ecosystem engineering species which modify the environment, thus having large effects on associated species. With the introduction of the Pacific oyster, a new biogenic structure has been added to subtidal sediment habitats in Scandinavia. By conducting a field experiment, the effects of live and post-mortem shell structures of C. gigas and M. edulis on associated infauna, epibenthic fauna and fish on the Swedish west coast were evaluated. Plots with 5 different treatments (live Pacific oysters, oyster shells, live blue mussels, mussel shells and sand control) were constructed on bare sandy sediment at 2 subtidal localities. Epibenthic macrofauna and fish were sampled with a drop trap, and sediment and infauna samples were collected with sediment cores. Live bivalve treatments had significant effects on organic content of the sediment; however, no treatment effects on infauna were found. In contrast, abundance and biomass of epibenthic fauna increased 4 to 8 times and species richness increased in the presence of the bivalves or their shells, compared to the sand control. Epibenthic fauna abundance and biomass was higher in the oyster shell treatment compared to the live bivalve treatments, which in turn had higher abundance and biomass than the mussel shell treatment. In general, the mussel shell treatment favoured small crustaceans, while the oyster shell and live bivalve treatments favoured fish and larger invertebrate species. Based on these results, we conclude that further establishment of the Pacific oyster in Swedish waters will cause large changes to community structure of benthic macrofauna and fish.

All data in the Integrated Marine Information System (IMIS) is subject to the VLIZ privacy policy Top | Authors