MEPS Marine Ecology Progress Series Contact the journal Facebook Twitter RSS Mailing List Subscribe to our mailing list via Mailchimp HomeLatest VolumeAbout the JournalEditorsTheme Sections MEPS 574:65-74 (2017) - DOI: https://doi.org/10.3354/meps12179 Gametogenesis of an intertidal population of Mytilus trossulus in NW Greenland: not a limitation for potential Arctic range expansion Jakob Thyrring1,2,*, K. Thomas Jensen3, Mikael K. Sejr1 1Arctic Research Centre, Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Ny Munkegade 114, Building 1540, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark 2Marine Ecology, Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Vejlsøvej 25, 8600 Silkeborg, Denmark 3Aquatic Biology, Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Ole Worms Allé 1, Building 1134, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark *Corresponding author: thyrring@bios.au.dk ABSTRACT: The drivers determining species’ northern distribution limits remain elusive and, combined with inadequate knowledge of past and current distribution ranges, this prevents accurate determination of potential changes in the Arctic. The northernmost population of the bivalve Mytilus trossulus is found in north Greenland, an area characterized by low temperature, prolonged winters and a short productive period. This population, therefore, provides a unique opportunity to study whether a temperate bivalve species can sustain a population near its pole-ward distribution limit through reproduction. We assessed gametogenesis and biochemical composition in intertidal M. trossulus specimens during the ice-free period (July-September). Results showed that the qualitative traits of gametogenesis and oocyte production in this population were comparable to M. trossulus found in temperate regions. In addition, we found that M. trossulus larvae settle annually in the lowest intertidal zone, indicating successful fertilization of eggs and larval survival. Our combined results suggest that gonadal development or larval survival do not limit the northern distribution of this species, even in a region characterized by limited food supply and sub-zero water temperatures for 9 mo of the year. Instead, for this marine invertebrate with a larval life-stage, oceanographic conditions and dispersal barriers, rather than physiological constraints, could be more important in determining the northern range limit. KEY WORDS: Arctic benthos · Biochemical composition · Blue mussels · Glycogen · Gametogenesis · Spawning · Temperature · Oogenesis Full text in pdf format PreviousNextCite this article as: Thyrring J, Jensen KT, Sejr MK (2017) Gametogenesis of an intertidal population of Mytilus trossulus in NW Greenland: not a limitation for potential Arctic range expansion. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 574:65-74. https://doi.org/10.3354/meps12179 Export citation RSS - Facebook - Tweet - linkedIn Cited by Published in MEPS Vol. 574. Online publication date: July 04, 2017 Print ISSN: 0171-8630; Online ISSN: 1616-1599 Copyright © 2017 Inter-Research.