Abstract
Like the majority of benthic invertebrates, the blue mussel Mytilus edulis has a bentho-pelagic cycle with its larval settlement being a complex phenomenon involving numerous factors. Among these factors, underwater noise and pelagic trophic conditions have been weakly studied in previous researches. Under laboratory conditions, we tested the hypothesis that picoplankton assimilation by the pediveliger blue mussel larvae acts as a food cue that interacts with anthropic underwater sound to stimulate settlement. We used 13C-labeling microalgae to validate the assimilation of different picoplankton species in the tissues of pediveliger larvae. Our results clearly confirm our hypothesis with a significant synergic effect of these two factors. However, only the picoeukaryotes strains assimilated by larvae stimulated the settlement, whereas the non-ingested picocyanobacteria did not. Similar positive responses were observed with underwater sound characterized by low frequency vessel noises. The combination of both factors (trophic and vessel noise) drastically increased the mussel settlement by an order of 4 compared to the control (without picoplankton and noise). Settlement levels ranged from 16.5 to 67% in 67 h.
Highlights
Trigger for mussel larvae and that these pelagic cues are dominant over other cues as substrate features including biofilms[21]
Adding N. oculata induced a significant increase of 6.6% of larval settlement rate in the silent aquarium, vessel sounds alone increased settlement by 27% in aquarium without N. oculata, and the most intense effect was observed with the combination of trophic and vessel noises
Our results clearly confirm our hypothesis that picoplankton assimilation by blue mussel pediveliger larvae acts as food cues that interacts, with some degree of synergy, with anthropic underwater sound to stimulate larval settlement
Summary
Trigger for mussel larvae and that these pelagic cues are dominant over other cues as substrate features including biofilms[21]. Prokaryotic species belong mostly to cyanobacteria of the genus Prochlorococcus[22] and Synechococcus[23]. The latter is a small unicellular cyanobacterium, 1 μm in diameter, abundant in temperate and tropical oceans[22] and contributing to a substantial proportion of marine primary production[24,25]. We propose to analyze the synergistic or antagonistic effects of two interacting factors on larval settlement of the blue mussel (Mytilus edulis): i) the anthropic underwater sound and ii) the contribution of picoplankton (Nannochloropsis oculata and Synechococcus sp.). We tested the hypothesis that picoplankton cells, inducing a nutritional cue, are assimilated by blue mussel pediveliger larvae and together with specific underwater sound, can stimulate settlement
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