The effect of seasonal variation in selective feeding by zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha) on phytoplankton community composition

Abstract

1. To investigate the impact of zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha) on phytoplankton community composition, temporal variability in selective feeding by the mussels was determined from April to November 2005 in a natural lake using Delayed Fluorescence (DF) excitation spectroscopy. 2. Selective grazing by zebra mussels varied in relation to seasonal phytoplankton dynamics; mussels showed a consistent preference for cryptophytes and avoidance of chlorophytes and cyanobacteria. Diatoms, chrysophytes and dinoflagellates responded differentially to zebra mussel grazing depending on their size. Analysis of excreted products of the zebra mussels revealed that in addition to chlorophytes and cyanobacteria, phytoplankton >50 lm and very small phytoplankton (£7 lm) were largely expelled in pseudofaeces. 3. The zebra mussel is a selective filter-feeder that alters its feeding behaviour in relation to phytoplankton composition to capture and ingest high quality phytoplankton, especially when phytoplankton occur in preferred size ranges. Flexibility of zebra mussel feeding behaviour and variation in susceptibility among phytoplankton groups to mussel ingestion indicate that invading zebra mussels could alter phytoplankton community composition of lakes and have important ecosystem consequences.

Predation and physical environment structure the density and population size structure of zebra mussels

“…It is capable of monopolizing a considerable part of available energy through high filtering capacity and selective feeding on high-quality phytoplankton (MacIsaac 1996b, Mackie and Schloesser 1996, Naddafi et al 2007b). Zebra mussels cause considerable economic loss to electrical power plants and water treatment facilities, and can reduce plankton biomass, increase water clarity, alter phytoplankton species composition, increase macrophyte distribution, eradicate native bivalves, compete with resident species, modify nutrient cycling, change seston stoichiometry, alter energy pathways, and affect foodweb dynamics (MacIsaac 1996b, Naddafi et al 2008.…”

Effects of different aquaculture methods for introduced bivalves (Hyriopsis cumingii) on seston removal and phosphorus balance at the water–sediment interface

“…Fei et al (2005) and Li et al (2006) improved water transparency and reduced Chl-a content using different aquaculture methods in different waterbodies. Many researchers (Fei et al 2005;Naddafi et al 2007) have shown that the filtration efficiency of bivalves will increase with temperature, and that the seston removal rate of H. cumingii at 17 C was one-third its rate at 29 C. In our experiment, the lack of significant difference in turbidity and pelagic algal Chl-a may be mainly due to the low experimental temperature. The clearance rates of bivalves and pelagic algal growth rate were weak at low ambient temperature (Kotta et al 2005).…”

Bio-Control of Microcystis Aeruginosa Bloom Using Various Aquatic Organisms by Dual Stable Isotope (13c and 15n) Tracers

“…Among the freshwater bivalves, the zebra mussels (D. polymorpha) showed higher clearance rate in single cells of the Microcystis (Baker et al, 1998), a reverse gradient exists between those mussel densities and the cyanobacterial biomass (Ibelings et al, 2003), so those mussels could be used as a potential tool in the biomanipulation of shallow lakes, suffering from harmful cyanobacterial blooms (Reeders and Bij de Vaate, 1990). However non-native mussel species (D. polymorpha) threat to native mussel because invasive species often differ greatly from native species in resource use and trophic interactions, they have great potential to negatively affect ecosystems (Naddafi et al, 2007). Therefore, we sure that for shallow lakes or reservoirs with soft substrates, unionids are better adapted to these habitats than zebra mussels that hard substrate for settlement.…”