Simulated mussel mortality thresholds as a function of mussel biomass and nutrient loading

Jeremy S Bril; Kathryn Langenfeld; Craig L Just; Scott N Spak; Teresa J Newton

doi:10.7717/peerj.2838

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Simulated mussel mortality thresholds as a function of mussel biomass and nutrient loading

Journal article

Open access

Peer reviewed

Simulated mussel mortality thresholds as a function of mussel biomass and nutrient loading

Jeremy S Bril, Kathryn Langenfeld, Craig L Just, Scott N Spak and Teresa J Newton

PeerJ, Vol.5(1), pp.e2838-e2838

2017

DOI: 10.7717/peerj.2838

PMCID: PMC5217613

PMID: 28070462

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Abstract

A freshwater “mussel mortality threshold” was explored as a function of porewater ammonium (NH 4 + ) concentration, mussel biomass, and total nitrogen (N) utilizing a numerical model calibrated with data from mesocosms with and without mussels. A mortality threshold of 2 mg-N L −1 porewater NH 4 + was selected based on a study that estimated 100% mortality of juvenile Lampsilis mussels exposed to 1.9 mg-N L −1 NH 4 + in equilibrium with 0.18 mg-N L −1 NH 3 . At the highest simulated mussel biomass (560 g m −2 ) and the lowest simulated influent water “food” concentration (0.1 mg-N L −1 ), the porewater NH 4 + concentration after a 2,160 h timespan without mussels was 0.5 mg-N L −1 compared to 2.25 mg-N L −1 with mussels. Continuing these simulations while varying mussel biomass and N content yielded a mortality threshold contour that was essentially linear which contradicted the non-linear and non-monotonic relationship suggested by Strayer (2014) . Our model suggests that mussels spatially focus nutrients from the overlying water to the sediments as evidenced by elevated porewater NH 4 + in mesocosms with mussels. However, our previous work and the model utilized here show elevated concentrations of nitrite and nitrate in overlying waters as an indirect consequence of mussel activity. Even when the simulated overlying water food availability was quite low, the mortality threshold was reached at a mussel biomass of about 480 g m −2 . At a food concentration of 10 mg-N L −1 , the mortality threshold was reached at a biomass of about 250 g m −2 . Our model suggests the mortality threshold for juvenile Lampsilis species could be exceeded at low mussel biomass if exposed for even a short time to the highly elevated total N loadings endemic to the agricultural Midwest.

Marine Biology

Numerical modeling

Mathematical Biology

Ecosystem Science

Native freshwater mussels

Nutrients

Ammonia mortality thresholds

Aquaculture, Fisheries and Fish Science

Conservation Biology

Details

Title: Subtitle: Simulated mussel mortality thresholds as a function of mussel biomass and nutrient loading
Creators: Jeremy S Bril - Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Iowa
Kathryn Langenfeld - Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Iowa
Craig L Just - Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Iowa
Scott N Spak - Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Iowa
Teresa J Newton - Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, US Geological Survey
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: PeerJ, Vol.5(1), pp.e2838-e2838
DOI: 10.7717/peerj.2838
PMID: 28070462
PMCID: PMC5217613
NLM abbreviation: PeerJ
ISSN: 2167-8359
eISSN: 2167-8359
Publisher: PeerJ Inc; San Francisco, USA
Grant note: Carver Charitable Trust
Language: English
Date published: 2017
Academic Unit: Civil and Environmental Engineering; Public Policy Center (Archive); School of Planning and Public Affairs
Record Identifier: 9983993200302771

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