Ribbed Mussel Geukensia Demissa Research Articles

Tissue-Specific Toxicokinetics of Aqueous Radium-226 in an Estuarine Mussel, Geukensia demissa.

Radiological contamination of coastal habitats poses potential risk for native fauna, but the bioavailability of aqueous radium (Ra) and other dissolved metals to marine bivalves remains unclear. This study was the first to examine the tissue-specific disposition of aqueous 226Ra in a coastal mussel, specifically the Atlantic ribbed mussel Geukensia demissa. Most organ groups reached steady-state concentrations within 7 days during experimental exposure, with an average uptake rate constant of 0.0013 mL g-1 d-1. When moved to Ra-free synthetic seawater, mussels rapidly eliminated aqueous 226Ra (average elimination rate constant 1.56 d-1). The biological half-life for aqueous 226Ra ranged from 8.9 h for the gills and labial palps to 15.4 h for the muscle. Although previous field studies have demonstrated notable 226Ra accumulation in the soft tissues of marine mussels and that, for freshwater mussels, tissue-incorporated 226Ra derives primarily from the aqueous phase, our tissue-specific bioconcentration factors (BCFs) were on the order of (8.3 ± 1.5) × 10-4 indicating low accumulation potential of aqueous 226Ra in estuarine mussels. This suggests marine and estuarine mussels obtain 226Ra from an alternate route, such as particulate-sorbed Ra ingested during filter-feeding or from a contaminated food source.

Latitudinal variation and plasticity in response to temperature in Geukensia demissa.

As global temperatures warm, species must adapt to a changing climate or transition to a different location suitable for their survival. Understanding the extent to which species are able to do so, particularly keystone species, is imperative to ensuring the survival of key ecosystems. The ribbed mussel Geukensia demissa is an integral part of salt marshes along the Atlantic coast of North America. Spatial patterns of genomic and phenotypic divergence have been previously documented, although their link with coastal environmental variation is unknown. Here, we study how populations of G. demissa in the northern (Massachusetts) and southern (Georgia) portions of the species range respond to changes in temperature. We combine assays of variation in oxygen consumption and RNA transcriptomic data with genomic divergence analyses to identify how separate populations of G. demissa may vary in distinct thermal environments. Our results show differences in constitutive oxygen consumption between mussels from Georgia and Massachusetts, as well as shared and disparate patterns of gene expression across temperature profiles. We also find that metabolic genes seem to be a strong component of divergence between these two populations. Our analysis highlights the importance of studying integrative patterns of genomic and phenotypic variation in species that are key for particular ecosystems, and how they might respond to further changes in climate.

Pattern formation in marsh ecosystems modeled through the interaction of marsh vegetation, mussels and sediment

Spatial self-organization, a common feature of multi-species communities, can provide important insights into ecosystem structure and resilience. As environmental conditions gradually worsen (e.g., resource depletion, erosion intensified by storms, drought), some ecological systems collapse to an irreversible state once a tipping point is reached. Spatial patterning may be one way for them to cope with such changes. We use a mathematical model to describe self-organization of an eroding marsh shoreline based on three-way interactions between sediment volume and two ecosystem engineers – smooth cordgrass Spartina alterniflora and ribbed mussels Geukensia demissa. Our model indicates that scale-dependent interactions between multiple ecosystem engineers drive the self-organization of eroding marsh edges and regulate the spatial scale of shoreline morphology. Spatial self-organization of the marsh edge increases the system’s productivity, allows it to withstand erosion, and delays degradation that otherwise would occur in the absence of strong species interactions. Further, changes in wavelength and variance of the spatial patterns give insight into marsh recession. Finally, we find that the presence of mussels in the system modulates the spatial scale of the patterns, generates patterns with shorter wavelengths, and allows the system to tolerate a greater level of erosion. Although previous studies suggest that self-organization can emerge from local interactions and can result in increased ecosystem persistence and stability in various ecosystems, our findings extend these concepts to coastal salt marshes, emphasizing the importance of the ecosystem engineers, smooth cordgrass and ribbed mussels, and demonstrating the potential value of self-organization for ecosystem management and restoration.

Gulf ribbed mussels increase plant growth, primary production, and soil nitrogen cycling potential in salt marshes

Smooth cordgrass Spartina alterniflora and Atlantic ribbed mussels Geukensia demissa have a mutualism whereby S. alterniflora provides substrate and shade for G. demissa while G. demissa enhances S. alterniflora growth and drought tolerance. Together, these species improve salt marsh stability and function. To better understand if a similar relationship exists between S. alterniflora and Gulf ribbed mussels G. granosissima in salt marshes of the Gulf of Mexico, we conducted a manipulative experiment with identical starting plant density and varying densities of G. granosissima and monitored plant and soil responses over a growing season. We found that S. alterniflora stem and leaf density was 1.5 and 1.9 times greater for the highest mussel biomass compared to the lowest mussel biomass treatments. Similarly, above- and below-ground biomass were 2.6 and 3.2 times greater for the highest mussel biomass compared to the lowest mussel biomass treatments. More and larger S. alterniflora at higher G. granosissima densities resulted in 2 and 4 times the S. alterniflora gross CO2 uptake and respiration rate, respectively. Methane fluxes were highest when G. granosissima were present, likely driven by the positive relationship between methane flux and belowground biomass. Net potential nitrification was 5 times higher for the highest mussel biomass compared to the lowest mussel biomass treatments, and denitrification rates were 1.8 times higher. Ultimately, our results suggest that G. granosissima increases S. alterniflora growth and productivity, much like the positive relationship between G. demissa and S. alterniflora, which in turn influences salt marsh stability and function.

Ribbed Mussels Continue to Feed and Biodeposit in the Presence of Injured Conspecifics and Predators

Species interactions may mediate the ability of organisms and communities to provide valued services but are rarely considered in forecasting how service provisioning will change as restored communities mature and change in species composition. Bivalves are foundational species in many communities that contribute to services such as habitat provisioning, water filtration, and denitrification but that also may respond to predator presence by reducing activity. Filtering and biodeposition rates of ribbed mussels (Geukensia demissa) in the presence of predators (blue crabs (Callinectes sapidus), oyster drills (Urosalpinx cinerea)), injured conspecifics, or other local species (mud snails, Tritia obsoleta) were compared in laboratory experiments conducted in July–August 2019 in the Hudson River estuary (New York, USA). The effect of predator diet on ribbed mussel responses was also considered. Although mussels tended to be less active in the presence of predators and injured conspecifics, significant decreases were observed in few traits, and there was no evidence that predator diet influenced mussel responses. Variability in feeding rates and other factors such as water quality may play a larger role than predator presence in determining mussel activity. These results suggest that G. demissa will continue to provide positive impacts on water clarity and quality and increase denitrification rates via biodeposition even as restored communities attract predators.

Demographics of the Ribbed Mussel Geukensia demissa (Dillwyn, 1817) and the Effects of Its Simulated Manual Harvest on Salt Marsh Health in South Carolina, Usa

The ribbed mussel Geukensia demissa is a mytilid bivalve that inhabits salt marshes along the east coast of North America. It is an important ecosystem engineer, contributing to salt marsh species diversity and landscape-scale ecosystem processes. Furthermore, local interest in the human consumption of G. demissa in South Carolina has created demand for this species from both restaurant and retail outlets. In response, commercial harvest of G. demissa increased markedly between 2014 and 2016. There are, however, currently no species-specific commercial or recreational harvesting regulations for G. demissa in this state, either in terms of minimum size or maximum quantity, raising concerns about the sustainability of commercial harvest, especially considering that harvesting practices can be destructive to the salt marsh ecosystem. The goal of the current study was to characterize the demographics of G. demissa at a harvested site and at two unharvested reference sites over the course of 1 y. Furthermore, the current study investigated the effects of simulated harvest on parameters of salt marsh health. Quarterly and monthly demographic sampling at commercially harvested and unharvested sites in South Carolina revealed that patches of G. demissa primarily consist of large individuals with low rates of recruitment. A similar relationship between size and age was observed at each of the sites. A year-long manipulation experiment revealed that selective harvesting practices mitigated the effect of harvest on metrics of smooth cordgrass, Spartina alterniflora health, but not on recruitment of G. demissa. The current study offers important demographic information on G. demissa in South Carolina that can be used to support future management decisions associated with its commercial and recreational fisheries.

Geomorphology and Species Interactions Control Facilitation Cascades in a Salt Marsh Ecosystem.

Facilitation cascades are chains of positive interactions that occur as frequently as trophic cascades and are equally important drivers of ecosystem function, where they involve the overlap of primary and secondary, or dependent, habitat-forming foundation species [1]. Although it is well recognized that the size and configuration of secondary foundation species' patches are critical features modulating the ecological effects of facilitation cascades [2], the mechanisms governing their spatial distribution are often challenging to discern given that they operate across multiple spatial and temporal scales [1, 3]. We therefore combined regional surveys of southeastern US salt marsh geomorphology and invertebrate communities with a predator exclusion experiment to elucidate the drivers, both geomorphic and biotic, controlling the establishment, persistence, and ecosystem functioning impacts of a regionally abundant facilitation cascade involving habitat-forming marsh cordgrass and aggregations of ribbed mussels. We discovered a hierarchy of physical and biological factors predictably controlling the strength and self-organization of this facilitation cascade across creekshed, landscape, and patch scales. These results significantly enhance our capacity to spatially predict coastal ecosystem function across scales based on easily identifiable metrics of geomorphology that are mechanistically linked to ecological processes. Replication of this approach across vegetated coastal ecosystems has the potential to support management efforts by elucidating the multi-scale linkages between geomorphology and ecology that, in turn, define spatially explicit patterns in community assembly and ecosystem functioning.

Ribbed mussels Geukensia demissa enhance nitrogen-removal services but not plant growth in restored eutrophic salt marshes

Ribbed mussels Geukensia demissa enhance nitrogen-removal services but not plant growth in restored eutrophic salt marshes

Characterization of Ribbed Mussel Geukensia demissa (Dillwyn, 1817) Habitat in Relation to Tidal Elevation and Salinity in a South Carolina Estuary

The distribution of sessile intertidal organisms depends on many different environmental and biological variables. Of these, elevation and salinity are particularly relevant, especially for organisms that occur in salt marsh–dominated estuaries in the Southeastern United States. The ribbed mussel Geukensia demissa is a mytilid bivalve, which is an ecologically important foundation species. Despite experiencing commercial harvesting pressure in South Carolina, G. demissa currently lacks speciesspecific regulations in terms of minimum harvest size and harvest limits. Furthermore, the distribution of G. demissa within its habitat, although well described in the Northeastern United States, has not been studied in South Carolina. The goal of the present study was to develop a methodology that could be used to characterize the distribution of G. demissa using elevation and salinity data to improve the understanding of the distribution of this species at the landscape scale and to support consideration of improved management measures. Transect grid surveys for the presence or absence of G. demissa were performed at stations along a salinity gradient in the Ashley River, a tributary of the Charleston Harbor, SC, in the spring of 2017. The presence or absence of G. demissa was explained by both elevation and salinity data using a logistic regression model, and G. demissa was predicted to be most likely to occur at a high position in the intertidal zone (0.17mbelow mean high water) and at an intermediate salinity of 18. In addition, the tidal inundation period for G. demissa in this study ranged from 45 min to 6 h, and averaged 3.5 h per high tide, highlighting the physiological challenges of its typical habitat distribution.

Antimicrobial Activity in the Pallial Cavity Fluids of the Ribbed Mussel Geukensia Demissa from a Highly Impacted Harbor in Western Long Island Sound

Fluid and its associated mucus from the pallial (mantle) cavity of the ribbed mussel Geukensia demissa (Dwillyn) from Black Rock Harbor, Bridgeport, CT, inhibited the growth of both Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus) and Gramnegative (Escherichia coli) bacteria in antimicrobial assays. A significant reduction in size after 24 h was noted in E. coli grown in the presence of ribbed mussel fluid. Mussel-soluble lysozyme levels in the pallial cavity fluid averaged 0.019 + 0.018 relative fluorescence units/mg protein, and no seasonal pattern of lysozyme activity was found (P = 0.522). During the course of the study, copper concentrations ranged from 0.09 to 0.37 ppm and zinc concentrations from 0.17 to 0.66 ppm in the pallial cavity fluid. These values were only slightly higher than the concentrations of these metals found in seawater samples taken at the site, indicating only very low levels of sequestration of heavy metals by G. demissa in the pallial fluid cavity. A comparable study of oysters (Crassostrea virginica) from the same site found lysozyme levels 10 times higher and zinc concentrations two orders of magnitude greater than in that in mussels reported here (Brousseau et al. 2014). These results suggest substantial interspecies variation in profiles of defensive agents involved in antimicrobial activities of marine bivalves and highlight the need for additional studies to characterize these differences.

Burrowing Crabs Weaken Mutualism Between Foundation Species

Foundation species often interact with each other and co-create habitat upon which other species depend. Whether the presence of these facilitated species feeds back to mediate the growth and resilience of the foundation species themselves, and influence the strength of their interactions, remains poorly understood. In a 16-month field experiment in a southeastern US salt marsh, we tested how the overlapping presence of two foundation species, cordgrass (Spartina alterniflora) and ribbed mussels (Geukensia demissa), influences the abundance of facilitated species, specifically burrowing crabs (mainly Uca pugnax), and how crabs, in turn, affect each foundation species and their mutualistic interaction. Mussel aggregations enhanced crab abundance 3.9-fold, which in turn reduced both mussel and cordgrass growth and stifled cordgrass recovery after a simulated disturbance. Porewater and plant tissue analyses suggest crabs reduced cordgrass growth by reducing nitrogen availability, damaging roots, and potentially interfering with mussel deposition of nutrient-rich pseudofeces. A five-site field survey along 700 km southeastern US coastline revealed that cordgrass biomass and crab abundance are consistently higher in mussel aggregations. Furthermore, cordgrass biomass correlated negatively with crab abundance, supporting our experimental findings and the hypothesis that facilitated biota can negatively impact the foundation species upon which they depend. We anticipate that such negative, but non-lethal, feedbacks between foundation species and the biota they facilitate may be a common but overlooked phenomenon controlling foundation species growth and interactions in a wide range of ecosystems.

Microplastic abundances in a mussel bed and ingestion by the ribbed marsh mussel Geukensia demissa

Human activities have generated large quantities of microplastics that can be consumed by filter-feeding organisms as potential food sources. As a result, organisms may experience marked reductions in growth and/or health. To date there has been no investigations connecting microplastics (MPs) with the critically important ribbed mussel Geukensia demissa. Here we examined MP abundances within a bed of G. demissa in New Jersey. Results indicate that MP densities ranged between 11,000–50,000 pieces/m2. The abundance of larger MPs (5 mm ≥ 1 mm) did not vary among sampling sites while the smaller MPs (<1 mm) abundances did vary between sampling sites. These smaller MPs also accounted for 79% of MPs recovered from these sites. Based on the higher abundance of smaller MPs, we also investigated MP ingestion/rejection in a laboratory setting. These results confirmed that ribbed mussels can ingest MPs with negative consequences for the buoyancy of plastics rejected in feces and pseudofeces.

Oyster Utilization and Host Variation of the Oyster Pea Crab (Zaops ostreum)

ABSTRACT The oyster pea crab Zaops ostreum (Say, 1817), is a parasite of the eastern oyster Crassostrea virginica Gmelin (1791). This study examined the frequency of occurrence and impact of pea crabs on adult (50–70 mm shell height [SH]) oysters from natural intertidal reefs in Hewletts Creek, Wilmington, NC and artificially created intertidal reefs from Jones Island, NC. The reefs at Hewletts Creek and Jones Island were also sampled in the fall of 2012 to quantify the presence of pea crabs in two cooccurring bivalve species, the scorched mussel Brachidontes exustus (Linneaus, 1758), and the ribbed mussel Geukensia demissa (Dillwyn, 1817). To evaluate the impact of pea crabs on juvenile oysters (mean SH 11.07 ± 0.16 mm), oysters were deployed in Hewletts Creek at three densities during July 2013 and then retrieved in October 2013. The percent occurrence of pea crabs in adult oysters was low on the natural reefs (1%–3.7%), greater on the created reefs (10%), whereas the percent occurrence in the deployed ...

Indirect human impacts turn off reciprocal feedbacks and decrease ecosystem resilience

Creek bank salt marsh die-off is a conservation problem in New England, driven by predator depletion, which releases herbivores from consumer control. Many marshes, however, have begun to recover from die-off. We examined the hypothesis that the loss of the foundation species Spartina alterniflora has decreased facilitator populations, weakening reciprocal positive plant/animal feedbacks, resilience, and slowing recovery. Field surveys and experiments revealed that loss of Spartina leads to decreased biodiversity, and increased mortality and decreased growth of the ribbed mussel Geukensia demissa, a key facilitator of Spartina. Experimental addition of Geukensia facilitators to creek banks accelerated Spartina recovery, showing that their loss limits recovery and the reciprocal feedbacks that drive community resilience. Reciprocal positive feedbacks involving foundation species, often lost to human impacts, may be a common, but generally overlooked mechanism of ecosystem resilience, making their reestablishment a valuable restoration tool.

Independent and interactive effects of two facilitators on their habitat‐providing host plant, Spartina alterniflora

The role of habitat‐providing species in facilitating associated species abundance and diversity is recognized as a key structuring force in many ecosystems. Reciprocal facilitation by associates, often involving multiple species, can be important for the maintenance of the host species. As with other multi‐species interactions (e.g. multiple predator effects), non‐additive relationships may be common among these associates, yet relatively few studies have examined potential interactions among multiple facilitator species. We combined field surveys and a mesocosm experiment to examine the independent and interactive effects of two co‐occurring facilitator species, ribbed mussels Geukensia demissa and fiddler crabs Uca pugilator, on their host salt marsh plant species, cordgrass Spartina alterniflora. We also experimentally examined how these relationships varied across different host plant genotypes. Overall, facilitator effects increased with increasing facilitator density. There was a significant interaction between mussel and fiddler crab presence, indicating that the effects of each species on cordgrass were dependent on the presence of the other facilitator species. In addition, there were strong interactions among mussels, fiddler crabs, and plant genotype, with greater variation in the performance of individual genotypes when fiddler crabs were absent. Our work reinforces the importance of considering multiple responses when assessing the functional redundancy of co‐occurring facilitators, as species are seldom completely redundant across the range of services they provide. It also highlights that the strength and direction of species interactions can vary due to genetic variation within the interacting species.

Short communication: adaptability of the feeding behavior of intertidal ribbed mussels (Geukensia demissa) to constant submersion

The ribbed mussel (Geukensia demissa, Dillwyn 1817) is a dominant benthic filter-feeder in salt marshes along the North American Atlantic Coast. It has been proposed that the cultivation and harvest of ribbed mussels could be used to bioremediate the eutrophication of coastal waters. To accomplish this, mussels would be grown in suspension culture underwater, which is different than this species’ natural, intertidal habitat in which they are exposed to a tidal regime of submersion and emersion. To assess possible effects of constant submersion upon the feeding behavior of G. demissa, we quantified filter-feeding activities of ribbed mussels collected from either an intertidal location or a permanently submerged (2 months) population in the same embayment. Filtration measurements to determine clearance rates were conducted in aquaria containing ultra-filtered seawater with cultured phytoplankton. Results show that mussels taken from the intertidal population had significantly higher filtration than the submerged population initially, but after 3 days of submersion in the aquaria, this difference disappeared. Moreover, all experimental G. demissa had higher clearance rates during natural low tide than during natural high tide. These results indicate a potential for ribbed mussels to be grown in suspension culture for nutrient bioextraction purposes.

Population structure of the ribbed mussel Geukensia demissa in salt marshes in the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence, Canada

The ribbed mussel, Geukensia demissa, is highly dependent on the cordgrass Spartina alterniflora for amelioration from environmental stress and substrate stabilization. Spartina alterniflora is a foundation species in marshes, and G. demissa is typically associated with cordgrass beds. Marshes in the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence are experiencing erosion and degradation, presumably as a result of increases in sea level, which increases salinity exposure and negatively impacts S. alterniflora. The population structure of the ribbed mussel, Geukensia demissa, was studied at nine sites in six estuaries in the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence in Nova Scotia, Canada, where marsh degradation is occurring. Mussel length was used as a proxy for age of G. demissa in three salt marsh zones characterized by density and elevation of Spartina alterniflora: (1) a lower zone in which the S. alterniflora was dead, but where the basal mat was coherent, (2) a zone of living, but low density S. alterniflora at the margin of the living marsh, and (3) a zone of dense S. alterniflora one to three meters back from the edge. Mussel length was significantly different across the three zones in seven of the nine sites. Mean length decreased as elevation increased, and small mussels (i.e., 1–3 cm) were absent at seven sites. The smallest mussels occurred in the dense S. alterniflora zone, higher in the marsh. Mussel length in the two western sites did not differ between zones, and small mussels (i.e., 1–3 cm) were present, but rare. The absence of small mussels in seven of the nine sites, and the size frequency distribution at remaining sites, suggests a lack of recent recruitment and a long-term threat to the survival of G. demissa. Salt marsh degradation and the death of S. alterniflora have negatively impacted G. demissa recruitment, and population decline is evident.

Using bivalves as particle collectors with PCR detection to investigate the environmental distribution of Haplosporidium nelsoni

Recently, PCR technology has been applied to search for marine microorganisms in environmental samples. Such sampling, however, has drawbacks, including the need to collect and filter large volumes of water, and the presence of substances in environmental samples that may destroy DNA or interfere with DNA isolation and amplification. We explored the possibility of using suspension-feeding bivalves in conjunction with PCR to investigate the environmental distribution of microparasites using the oyster pathogen Haplosporidium nelsoni (the MSX disease agent) with oysters and mussels in Delaware Bay, USA, as a model system. Delaware Bay oysters Crassostrea virginica have become very resistant to H. nelsoni infection development and rarely exhibit histologically detectable lesions. The ribbed mussel Geukensia demissa is also resistant. Infections were detected in only 6% of the histologically examined oysters in the present study, although PCR-positive signals for H. nelsoni were found in feces, gill or heart samples of up to 100% of oysters. Positive signals were found in the feces and gill (but not heart) samples of up to 50% of mussels. The temporal evolution of PCR signals suggested a wave-like pattern of putative infective particles, which mimicked a pattern documented in early mortality studies. The present study demonstrated that H. nelsoni persists throughout Delaware Bay, although it is rarely detected using standard histology. We propose that the use of suspension-feeding bivalves as particle collectors in combination with PCR could be a method for detecting the presence of marine microparasites and might help answer questions about factors that prevent outbreaks of epizootics in certain regions.

Utilization of Spartina- and Phragmites-Derived Dissolved Organic Matter by Bacteria and Ribbed Mussels (Geukensia demissa) from Delaware Bay Salt Marshes

Phragmites australis has been invading Spartina-alterniflora-dominated salt marshes throughout the mid-Atlantic. Although, Phragmites has high rates of primary production, it is not known whether this species supports lower trophic levels of a marsh food web in the same manner as Spartina. Using several related photochemical and biological assays, we compared patterns of organic matter flow of plant primary production through a key salt marsh metazoan, the ribbed mussel (Geukensia demissa), using a bacterial intermediate. Dissolved organic matter (DOM) was derived from plants collected from a Delaware Bay salt marsh and grown in the laboratory with 14C-CO2. Bacterial utilization of plant-derived DOM measured as carbon mineralization revealed that both species provided bioavailable DOM to native salt marsh bacteria. Total carbon mineralization after 19 days was higher for Spartina treatments (36% 14CO2 ± 3 SE) compared with Phragmites treatments (29% ±2 SE; Wilcoxon–Kruskal–Wallis rank sums test, P < 0.01). Pre-exposing DOM to natural sunlight only enhanced or decreased bioavailability of the DOM to the bacterioplankton during initial measurements (e.g., 7 days or less) but these differences were not significant over the course of the incubations. Mixtures of 14C-labeled bacterioplankton (and possibly organic flocs) from 14C-DOM treatments were cleared by G. demissa at similar rates between Spartina and Phragmites treatments. Moreover, 14C assimilation efficiencies for material ingested by mussels were high for both plant sources ranging from 74% to 90% and not significantly different between plant sources. Sunlight exposure did not affect the nutritional value of the bacterioplankton DOM assemblage for mussels. There are many possible trophic and habitat differences between Spartina- and Phragmites-dominated marshes that could affect G. demissa but the fate of vascular plant dissolved organic carbon in the DOM to bacterioplankton to mussel trophic pathway appears comparable between these marsh types.

Particle selection in the ribbed mussel Geukensia demissa and the Eastern oyster Crassostrea virginica: Effect of microalgae growth stage

We studied particle selection in the ribbed mussel Geukensia demissa, an important suspension-feeding inhabitant of estuaries and intertidal zones of salt marshes along the Atlantic coast of North America. Adult mussels were fed on several mixtures of microalgal cultures (1) in exponential or (2) in stationary phase of growth, and the proportional occurrence of algal species in pseudofeces was examined by flow cytometry. The Eastern oyster, Crassostrea virginica, was chosen as a reference. Results showed that both mussels and oysters were able to selectively ingest or reject our experimental microalgae. Moreover, the pre-ingestive particle selection was affected by microalgal growth phase, particularly in mussels. For instance, the sorting efficiency index increased significantly in mussels fed with a blend made of Nitzschia closterium, Isochrysis sp. and Tetraselmis suesica harvested in stationary growth phase, as compared to the same blend made with microalgae in exponential growth phase. Isochrysis sp. and T. suesica were preferentially ingested by both bivalves whereas N. closterium, was preferentially rejected in pseudofeces. These results demonstrate particle selection in ribbed mussel and underline the effect of algae growth phase on the sorting mechanisms.