Reduced survival and condition of the bivalves Protothaca staminea and Mytilus edulis buried by decomposing bark

The bivalves Protothaca staminea and Mytilus edulis were exposed to five depths of decomposing bark from an active log transfer facility for 13-96 days in a field experiment at Auke Bay, Alaska. Survival and condition of both species was inversely related to depth and duration of bark coverage. As l...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 1987-01, Vol.23 (1), p.49-64
Main Authors: Freese, J L, O'Clair, CE
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Bivalvia
Brackish
Marine
Mytilus edulis
Protothaca staminea
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Summary:The bivalves Protothaca staminea and Mytilus edulis were exposed to five depths of decomposing bark from an active log transfer facility for 13-96 days in a field experiment at Auke Bay, Alaska. Survival and condition of both species was inversely related to depth and duration of bark coverage. As little as 6 cm of bark reduced survival; survival declined most rapidly between 10 and 15 cm of bark. The depths of bark under which half the animals died after 96 days of exposure were 12 multiplied by 8 plus or minus 1 multiplied by 6 cm for P. staminea and 10 multiplied by 9 plus or minus 1 multiplied by 5 cm for M. edulis . Interstitial water in the bark deposits had low concentrations of dissolved O sub(2) (2 multiplied by 5-5 multiplied by 3 mg/l) and elevated concentrations of hydrogen sulfide (1 multiplied by 0-8 multiplied by 1 mg/l total sulfide) and ammonia (46-131 mu g-at N/l)compared to the surface water from the control treatment. Survival of P. staminea) and M. edulis was inversely related to concentrations of hydrogen sulfide and ammonia and directly related to dissolved O sub(2) concentrations.
ISSN:0025-3154