Nucleating agents in the haemolymph of an intertidal mollusc tolerant to freezing

Aunaas, T.

doi:10.1007/bf01955768

Cited by 46 publications

(19 citation statements)

References 11 publications

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“…With a similar rationale, our northern sampled regions might experience prolonged chronic exposure to cold temperatures in winter. Although blue mussels are known to tolerate freezing down to a thermal limit of −6 °C, they still experience high mortality when exposed for long periods to sub‐lethal temperatures (Aunaas, 1982; Ansart & Vernon, 2003). In the northern regions of our sampled range, air temperature can reach −20 °C, which can cause mortality in intertidal mussels that are not thermally protected by the presence of a stable ice foot (Scrosati & Eckersley, 2007).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mussel and dogwhelk distribution along the north-west Atlantic coast: testing predictions derived from the abundant-centre model

Tam

Scrosati²

2011

Journal of Biogeography

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Aim We performed the first test of predictions from the abundant-centre model using north-west Atlantic coastal organisms. We tested the hypotheses that the density of intertidal mussels (Mytilus edulis and M. trossulus) and dogwhelks (Nucella lapillus) and mussel age and size would peak at an intermediate location along their distribution range. We also assessed the latitudinal variation in critical aerial exposure time.Location North-west Atlantic coast between Newfoundland (Canada) and New York (USA), covering 1800 km of shoreline.Methods Using a nested design, we measured mussel density, age and size and dogwhelk density in 60 wave-exposed rocky intertidal sites spread evenly in six regions. Critical aerial exposure times were determined using online data.Results Mytilus edulis peaked in abundance in Maine and was much less abundant in the other regions. Mytilus trossulus peaked in abundance in southern Nova Scotia and Maine, was less abundant in the other regions to the north, and was absent in the southernmost region (New York). Both mussel species were least abundant in a northern region (Cape Breton), although not in the northernmost region (Newfoundland). Critical aerial exposure times were negatively correlated with overall mussel density. Mussel age and size were similar among regions. Dogwhelks peaked in abundance in Maine and were much less abundant in the other regions, being positively correlated with overall mussel density across regions.Main conclusions Density data for M. edulis and N. lapillus provide limited support for an abundant-centre pattern, while M. trossulus shows a clear rampedsouth distribution. Critical aerial exposure times suggest that physiological stress during summer and winter low tides may be lowest in Maine and southern Nova Scotia, which might partially explain mussel predominance in those regions. Winter ice scour in Cape Breton may explain the abundance trough observed there. Mussel size and age may be more limited by wave exposure at our sites (as they all face open waters) than by regional differences in environmental stress. Dogwhelks, which prey on mussels, seem to respond positively to prey density at the regional scale. Our study supports the notion that, while the abundant-centre model is a useful starting point for research, it often represents an oversimplification of reality.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mussel and dogwhelk distribution along the north-west Atlantic coast: testing predictions derived from the abundant-centre model

Tam

Scrosati²

2011

Journal of Biogeography

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“…Previous reviewers provide more detailed accounts of the characteristics of freeze tolerance in individual species (1,77,102,161). Animals undercool only a few degrees below the FP of body fluids (-1.7"C in full strength seawater) (1,5,84,173). Ice forms only in extracellular spaces (76).…”

Section: A Marine Invertebratesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Freeze tolerance in animals

Storey

1988

Physiological Reviews

584

336

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“…The relative ease with which the sub-polar species here initiated ice formation, compared to Antarctic species reported in (Denny et al, 2011), suggests one potential barrier to polar spread: even mild anchor ice events would likely remove all of the sub-polar species we tested. While M. edulis is tolerant of being frozen in ice (Aarset, 1982; Aunaas, 1985; Kanwisher, 1955), (Gutt, 2001) notes that glacier scour and buoyancy effects of ice can cause removal. Unfortunately, as ice recedes, such barriers may be diminishing.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Bio-inspired design of ice-retardant devices based on benthic marine invertebrates: the effect of surface texture

Mehrabani

Ray

Tse

et al. 2014

Preprint

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Growth of ice on surfaces poses a challenge for both organisms and for devices that come into contact with liquids below the freezing point. Resistance of some organisms to ice formation and growth, either in subtidal environments (e.g., Antarctic anchor ice), or in environments with moisture and cold air (e.g., plants, intertidal) begs examination of how this is accomplished. Several factors may be important in promoting or mitigating ice formation. As a start, here we examine the effect of surface texture alone. We tested four candidate surfaces, inspired by hard-shelled marine invertebrates and constructed using a three-dimensional printing process. We examined sub-polar marine organisms to develop sample textures and screened them for ice formation and accretion in submerged conditions using previous methods for comparison to data for Antarctic organisms. The sub-polar organisms tested were all found to form ice readily. We also screened artificial 3-D printed samples using the same previous methods, and developed a new test to examine ice formation from surface droplets as might be encountered in environments with moist, cold air. Despite limitations inherent to our techniques, it appears surface texture plays only a small role in delaying the onset of ice formation: a stripe feature (corresponding to patterning found on valves of blue mussels, Mytilus edulis, or on the spines of the Antarctic sea urchin Sterechinus neumayeri) slowed ice formation an average of 25% compared to a grid feature (corresponding to patterning found on sub-polar butterclams, Saxidomas nuttalli). The geometric dimensions of the features have only a small (∼6%) effect on ice formation. Surface texture affects ice formation, but does not explain by itself the large variation in ice formation and species-specific ice resistance observed in other work. This suggests future examination of other factors, such as material elastic properties and surface coatings, and their interaction with surface pattern.

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Nucleating agents in the haemolymph of an intertidal mollusc tolerant to freezing

Cited by 46 publications

References 11 publications

Mussel and dogwhelk distribution along the north-west Atlantic coast: testing predictions derived from the abundant-centre model

Mussel and dogwhelk distribution along the north-west Atlantic coast: testing predictions derived from the abundant-centre model

Freeze tolerance in animals

Bio-inspired design of ice-retardant devices based on benthic marine invertebrates: the effect of surface texture

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