Mytilus Californianus

2553 Words6 Pages

Majid Din
College Bio/Per.9
Fall Research Paper
11/17/14

Mytilus Californianus are known as California mussels that form dense mussel beds and considered one of the most abundant intertidal organisms. They are found clustered together in the upper-middle zone on the open coast. Mytilus Californianus attach themselves to rocks by byssal threads. They have geographic range from the Aleutian Islands of Alaska to northern Mexico of Baja California (Morris et al. 1980). “It provides habitat, refuge, and provides food for over 300 other species” including human (rust, 2011). For long period of time, human use these mussels as a food source. These mussels can grow up to 130 to 150mm in size but the process usually is attained in three years. Scientists …show more content…

Climate change is causing shifts in the distribution and abundance of Mytilus Californianus. Due to the climatic trend, it is predicted that over the next century, most of the coastal region will increase in temperature by several degree which will result the mussel to have higher body temperature (Smith et al). One study shows that a survey of mussel’s abundance along three regions of the California coast (Smith et al). The three regions included southern, northern and central California. It was found that mussel’s abundance was relatively higher in Northern California than Southern California. Northern and Southern California are two regions that have very different oceanographic processes. The mussel abundance may decline in Southern California due to human visitation, increased sea surface temperature and most importantly pollution (Smith et al). Therefore, mussels shift to protected areas such as Northern California to protect themselves from desiccation, warm temperature and salinity fluctuation. In addition, under an experiment, it was found that majority of adult population of this species existed in the Northern California. This proves that Mytilus Californianus had higher survival rates in the northern California region. In addition, this shows the growth of this species plays an important factor in affecting the distribution of mussels in the southern California. According to the article by D. Schmidt: A Review of California Mussel (Mytilus Californianus) Fisheries Biology and Fisheries Programs, there are changes in the bed cover of Mytilus Californianus along the different regions. It was mentioned that the bed cover of this species decreased in southern California due to climatic trends. Since the mussel’s bed cover is changing, this could affect hundred of dependent species’ habitats. Furthermore, climatic change is impacting to the abundance and distribution of

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