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Question:
Do barnacles act as recruitment enhancers
for Mytilus edulis in New England
intertidal zone
Abstract
The mussel
communities of Nahant, Ma intertidal zone were observed to see barnacles act as
recruitment enhancers for the mussel, Mytilus edulis. Adult and juvenile mussels were counted along
with the percent of barnacle cover where they were found. It was discovered
that M. edulis does not have a preference
for barnacle beds for settling, among both adults and juveniles aggregations. M. edulis often move to a new location in
the adult form of their life making recruitment mediators for juveniles different
from adults.
Introduction:
Mytilus edulis, or the common blue
mussel, releases its gametes in May-June when
water temperatures begins to reach its maximum
(Seed 1971). Settlement of mussels is due to
both passive and active effects on the larvae.
Passive factors include water current, since
mussels larval are not able to swim horizontal
to a great extent. Actively the larvae respond
to surface chemistry, co-speciation, and
microfilm layers Most settlement of mussels is
associated with macro algae, depression and
crevices, byssal threads of adults, and
barnacles (Pawlik 1992 Bayne 1965, 1971, Seed
1969, Eyster and Pechenick 1987). Young mussels
of Mytilus edulis is often found
scattered over a large area, however when they
enter youth they migrate to a different
substrate suitable for their adult form in an
aggregation (Geesteranus 1942, Bayne 1979,
1964).
Mytilus aggregations consisting of a
matrix of live and dead mussels shells, about 6
layers deep, a bottom layer of shells, detritus,
feces, and sediments. Diversity within these
complexes is very high and can be associated
with up to 135 taxa (Suchanek 1979, 1980)
The mussel Perumytilus purpuratus common
to intertidal zones in Chili, a dominate
competitor species in this area. They were found
to settle along the wall of a barnacle patch.
This was only true along a small patch of
barnacles, too large and it would be out compete
by barnacle recruits. Disturbance along these
patches by Nucella, a predatory snail
create an ample settlement home for mussels (Navarrette
and Castilla 1990).
Few papers exist on exact preferences of
Mytilus edulis preference of location in
absent of mussel competition such as in the New
England intertidal zone, especially in terms of
barnacles which Bayne has said affected
recruitment. It is important to determine what
factors of interaction and competition in this
particular influence settlement location.
Bibliography
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settlement in Mytilus edulis
L. J. Anim. Ecol 33: 513-523
Bayne BL (1965) Growth and the delay of
metamorphosis of the larvae of Mytilus edulis
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Bayne, B.L.(1971): Oxygen consumption by
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Seed R (1969) The ecology of Myhlus edulis L.
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Seed, R. (1971). A physiological and
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