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Summers, R.B., J.H. Thorp, J.E. Alexander, and R.D. Fell, 1996. Respiratory Adjustment of Dreissenid Mussels (D. polymorpha and D. bugensis) in Response to Chronic Turbidity, University of Louisville. Reprinted with permission from Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences (1996) 53(7): 1626-1631 Respiratory Adjustment of Dreissenid Mussels (D. polymorpha and D. bugensis) in Response to Chronic TurbidityA laboratory study was conducted to determine the effect of chronic turbidity (using bentonite clay) at medium and high temperatures on respiration of two exotic mussel species, Dreissena polymorpha and Dreissena bugensis. Populations of D. polymorpha from Lake Erie and the Ohio River and D. bugensis from Lake Erie were acclimated for 4 weeks to one of four temperature-turbidity combinations: 25 degrees C - 0 nephelometric turbidity units (NTU), 25 degrees C - 80 NTU, 15 degrees C - 0 NTU, and 15 degrees C - 80 NTU. At the end of the acclimation period, respiration was measured at both 0 and 80 NTU using a closed, flow-through system with a Clark-type polarographic microelectrode. Mass-specific respiration rates were computed as Vo(2) (= mu L O-2 onsumed-mg shell-free dry mass(-1). h(-1)). Results showed that size, temperature, acclimation turbidity, and measurement turbidity significantly affected VO2 rates. An interaction between acclimation turbidity and measurement turbidity suggests that dreissenid mussels adjusted their metabolic rate in response to chronic exposure to turbidity. Mussels acclimated to higher levels (80 NTU) of turbidity did not experience as large a percent drop in VO2 when tested in turbid water (80 NTU) as did mussels acclimated at lower turbidity (0 NTU). Entire Paper |
