Journal article
Algal concentration profiles above mussel beds
The distribution of phytoplankton was measured in vertical profiles at three stations in Limfjorden (Denmark) within and above Mytilus edulis beds (−5 to 200cm above the bed surface) and related to the filtration capacity of the mussels and hydrodynamic conditions. The density of phytoplankton was 2690 to 10 600cellscm−3 at 200cm above the bottom (∼1.4 to 3.2mg Chl-a m−3), declining towards the bottom to about 1000cellscm−3 at two of the stations.
This is a threshold of minimum algal concentration below which mussels are reported to stop feeding. The results of the present study further demonstrate that the near-bed phytoplankton concentrations observed in the field often remained below the concentration level at which mussels reduce their maximal filtration activity.
Language: | English |
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Year: | 2000 |
Pages: | 113-119 |
ISSN: | 18731414 and 13851101 |
Types: | Journal article |
DOI: | 10.1016/S1385-1101(00)00005-8 |