Physiological performance and general histology of the blue mussel, Mytilus edulis L., from the Baltic and North Seas
Gilek, M.; Tedengren, M.; Kautsky, N. (1992). Physiological performance and general histology of the blue mussel, Mytilus edulis L., from the Baltic and North Seas. Neth. J. Sea Res. 30: 11-21. https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0077-7579(92)90041-C
In: Netherlands Journal of Sea Research. Netherlands Institute for Sea Research (NIOZ): Groningen; Den Burg. ISSN 0077-7579; e-ISSN 1873-1406, more
Also appears in:Heip, C.H.R.; Nienhuis, P.H.; Pollen-Lindeboom, P.R. (Ed.) (1992). Proceedings of the 26th European Marine Biology Symposium: Biological effects of disturbances on estuarine and coastal marine environments, 17-21 September 1991, Yerseke, The Netherlands. European Marine Biology Symposia, 26. Netherlands Journal of Sea Research, 30. 299 pp., more
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Authors | | Top |
- Gilek, M.
- Tedengren, M.
- Kautsky, N.
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Abstract |
A physiological approach has been proposed for studying the ecological consequences of diseases and parasitism in bivalve molluscs. We investigated effects of some naturally occurring non-lethal parasites and histological changes in the blue mussel, Mytilus edulis L., on some commonly used bivalve condition indices, viz the oxygen:nitrogen ratio, the scope for growth and the body condition index. We found no correlation between these physiological condition indices, which implies that an individual can be classified as in 'good condition' according to e.g. the O:N ratio and the body condition index, while at the same time this mussel may have a low scope for growth indicating a stressed status. This is probably because the O:N ratio, the scope for growth and the body condition index integrate metabolic processes over different periods of time. No general deleterious effects on these condition indices could be detected either due to parasitic infestation or general histological changes. Hence, it was not possible to translate detrimental effects of histological conditions directly into energy equivalents. |
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