Meeting Abstract

P2.21  Monday, Jan. 5  Limits on survival: examining salinity tolerance in the non-native charru mussel, Mytella charruana YUAN, W*; WALTERS, LJ; HOFFMAN, EA; SCHNEIDER, KR; Univ, of Central Florida wsw.yuan@gmail.com

As a newly introduced species to the southeastern Atlantic coast of the United States, the charru mussel Mytella charruana, has the potential to alter shoreline ecosystems and out-compete native species. These mussels are of concern because of increasing numbers, potential economic costs to power plants, and displacement of commercially valuable native species. To understand the potential salinity range that M. charruana can withstand, we tested survivorship of mussels by increasing or decreasing the salinity in laboratory conditions. Our goal was to determine survivorship when mussels were exposed to salinity treatments ranging from 0 – 45 ppt (0, 2, 5, 14, 23, 31, 40, and 45 ppt) with salinity either being: 1) adjusted gradually over a period of time or 2) shocked with no gradual adjustment to the target salinity. There were 5 replicate tanks of each treatment and 15 mussels per tank. Mortality in each tank was recorded daily for 43 days. Mytella charruana showed greater survival in lower salinities (5 23 ppt) after being gradually adjusted, indicating it is more likely to invade estuaries with significant freshwater input. In examining the effects of these two salinity factors on Mytella charruana, our hope is to gain a better understanding of the biology and potential range of this non-native mussel.