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J. Moll. Stud. (1999), 65, 327-333
© The Malacological Society of London 1999

The effect of food availability on byssogenesis by the zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha Pallas)

Michael Clarke{dagger}

University of Texas at Arlington, Box 19498, Arlington, Texas 76019-0498. U.S.A.

The effect of varying algal availability on byssal thread production by re–attaching zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha) was quantified. The byssal apparatus was severed and mussels allowed to re–attach to a hard substratum for a 21 day period during which they were fed at algal concentrations of 0.0, 0.1, 0.5, 1.0 or 2.0 mg C l-1. Byssal thread production was quantified by counting the number of new attachment plaques present each day. Results showed that starved mussels continued to partition organic carbon towards thread production but the resultant byssal mass was compromised, containing fewer threads than those produced by fed mussels. The daily average byssal thread production by mussels fed at 2.0 mg C l-1 was greater than that of starved mussels and the final mean dry soft tissue weight higher. At algal C concentrations below maintenance requirements byssal thread production was elevated compared to starved mussels, but there was no concurrent increase in soft tissue. This suggests that below maintenance levels assimilated carbon was solely partitioned towards byssus production and stored reserves may have been utilized. The ratio of organic carbon contained in the byssus to that in the soft tissues remained relatively constant across all feeding levels. This suggests that the carbon content of the byssus is a constant function of that of the soft tissue mass. These results may explain seasonal variation in attachment strength of numerous byssate species and seasonal vertical migrations by D. polymorpha.

{dagger} Present Address-Queen Mary & Westfield College, Dept of Biology, University of London, Mile End Road, London E1 4NS, UK

(Received 16 March 1998; accepted 30 September 1998)


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J. Kobak, M. Poznanska, and T. Kakareko
Effect of attachment status and aggregation on the behaviour of the zebra mussel Dreissena polymorpha
J. Mollus. Stud., May 1, 2009; 75(2): 119 - 126.
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