Physiological and gene transcription assays to assess responses of mussels to environmental changes

PeerJ

article

Katrina L. Counihan¹  Lizabeth Bowen²  Brenda Ballachey³  Heather Coletti⁴  Tuula Hollmen⁵  Benjamin Pister⁶  Tammy L. Wilson⁴ 

[1] Alaska SeaLife Center;US Geological Survey, Western Ecological Research Center;US Geological Survey, Alaska Science Center;Inventory and Monitoring Program, Southwest Alaska Network, National Park Service;College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, University of Alaska—Fairbanks and Alaska SeaLife Center;Ocean Alaska Science and Learning Center, National Park Service;Department of Natural Resource Management, South Dakota State University

关键词: Mytilus trossulus;    Gene transcription;    Biomarker;    Nearshore marine ecosystem;    Alaska;    Ecosystem management;    Monitoring;   

DOI  :  10.7717/peerj.7800

学科分类：社会科学、人文和艺术（综合）

来源: Inra

【 摘 要 】

Coastal regions worldwide face increasing management concerns due to natural and anthropogenic forces that have the potential to significantly degrade nearshore marine resources. The goal of our study was to develop and test a monitoring strategy for nearshore marine ecosystems in remote areas that are not readily accessible for sampling. Mussel species have been used extensively to assess ecosystem vulnerability to multiple, interacting stressors. We sampled bay mussels (Mytilus trossulus) in 2015 and 2016 from six intertidal sites in Lake Clark and Katmai National Parks and Preserves, in south-central Alaska. Reference ranges for physiological assays and gene transcription were determined for use in future assessment efforts. Both techniques identified differences among sites, suggesting influences of both large-scale and local environmental factors and underscoring the value of this combined approach to ecosystem health monitoring.

【 授权许可】

CC BY