engleski

Mytilus galloprovincialis shells as a proxy for feeding habits

Estuaries present a challenging environment for sessile organisms such as bivalves. Although some bivalve species are well adapted to the changing environment, shifts in environmental conditions influence their physiological processes such as feeding and growth. This study aimed to analyse the feeding habits of the mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis along the Krka estuary in the eastern part of the Adriatic Sea by analysing N and C stable isotopes in soft tissues. Furthermore, we compare shell and soft tissue δ15N values to calibrate shell δ15N as a proxy of the nitrogen isotope baseline of the system. Sampling was conducted bimonthly, over one year at four stations: two in the Krka river, one in the Krka river mouth and one in the coastal open sea area outside the influence of the Krka River. Preliminary data show that there is a difference in the δ15N and δ13C in the soft tissue of the M. galloprovincialis with lower δ 15N values (~ 3‰ lower) recorded in the open sea in comparison with the estuarine area. Contrary, mussels collected in the open sea had higher δ13C values, while mussels collected in the mouth of the Krka river were 13C depleted. Although further analysis needs to be performed, our preliminary data suggested that the same δ15N pattern in soft tissue is visible in the shell, and this might indicate that the shell could also be a proxy for trophic ecology studies. This research has been supported by the Croatian Science Foundation under the project (BivACME) (IP-2019-04-8542).

mussels, nitrogen stable isotope, carbon stable isotope, Adriatic Sea

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