Mortality differences of two intertidal mussels, Mytilus edulis L. and Geukensia demissa (Dillwyn), in a New Jersey salt marsh

• Published in: Journal of experimental marine biology and ecology Vol. 231; no. 2; pp. 255 - 265
• Main Authors: Sherwood, Robin M, Petraitis, Peter S
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 31-12-1998; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Animal and plant ecology; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Animals; Autoecology; Biological and medical sciences; Brackish; Failure-time analysis; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Geukensia demissa; Marine; Mortality; Mussels; Mytilus edulis; Protozoa. Invertebrata; Salt marsh; Spartina; North Atlantic; United States; North America; Atlantic Ocean; New Jersey; America; ANW, USA, New Jersey; Salt marsh; Mussels; Mytilus edulis; Geukensia demissa; Mortality; Failure-time analysis; Microhabitat; Interspecific comparison; Environmental factor; Species specificity; Longevity; Marine environment; Intertidal zone; Bivalvia; Habitat; Timing; Invertebrata; Mollusca
• ISSN: 0022-0981; 1879-1697
• DOI: 10.1016/S0022-0981(98)00095-1

Mortality of the blue mussel,
Mytilus edulis, and the ribbed mussel,
Geukensia demissa, were compared on intertidal shores of a New Jersey salt marsh where their distributions overlap. Individuals were tethered to stakes in
Spartina patches, in open spaces without
Spartina, or pools and were monitored between June and September 1995. More
M. edulis died than
G. demissa in all habitats.
M. edulis survived best in
Spartina patches while
G. demissa survived best in pools. Failure-time analysis was used to estimate median survival times for each species in each habitat. A typical blue mussel will die within the first 40 days, whereas a typical ribbed mussel is likely to survive for several years. Causes of death were not determined in this study, but their pattern was consistent with heat stress. Species-specific differences in mortality may have important consequences for the distributions and persistence of these mussels.