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Amazing discovery! Brown mussels can actually affect ocean construction. What's the secret behind this?
Brown mussels (Perna perna) are economically important bivalve molluscs and belong to the family Mussel family.Although it is an important food source, it has also attracted much attention for its damage to marine facilities.The mussels are native to waters in Africa, Europe and South America and are introduced in North America, having unexpected impacts on the local ecological environment.
Moral characteristics of brown mussels
Brown mussels are usually about 90 mm long and sometimes up to 120 mm. What is particularly easy to identify is their brown appearance and characteristic "post-dividing contractile marks".The keratinous ridges of its pit are also important features that distinguish it from other bivalves.Currently around the world, similar species include European mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) and black mussels (Choromytilus meridionalis).
Habitat and Distribution
Brown mussels are mainly distributed in the tropical and subtropical Atlanta waters and the Western Indian Ocean, especially on the west coast of Africa and South America, up to the Caribbean Sea.They often reproduce naturally on rocky coasts, but they can also attach to various underwater artificial objects, such as navigation buoys, oil platforms and shipwrecks.This property not only improves benthic ecology, but also provides a basis for reproduction for other marine organisms such as sea snails, attached insects and algae.
Ecology and Life History
Brown mussels are externally fertilized during the breeding period from May to October. Both sexes release eggs and sperm into the water, thus producing young snails.After a period of development, young snails can grow on the surface of the rock.As filter feeding organisms, they feed on phytoplankton, zooplankton and suspended organic matter.Although they play an important role in the ecosystem, they are threatened by parasites and preyed by different natural enemies.
Impact on human beings
Brown mussels are widely fished in Africa and South America, and as food sources, their fast-growing properties allow them to grow to commercial size in just six to seven months.However, they may also store neurotoxins due to feeding toxic algae, which has led to paralytic shellfish poisoning incidents in places like Venezuela.
Potential Impact of Marine Construction
It is worth noting that the accumulation of brown mussels can be so staggering that it can sink the navigation buoy.This has had a significant impact on marine facilities and water pipe systems.At the same time, they symbiotically with other marine organisms such as Asian green mussels, which have had a bad impact on water pipes and marine equipment.Although brown mussels have weak resistance to chloride and are relatively simple to manage, the chlorine concentration needs to be increased in terms of measures to exceed the tolerance range of stronger Asian green mussels.
The ecological impact of brown mussels is not limited to their growth rate and their impact on humans, and their role in marine ecosystems should not be underestimated.
These discoveries make scientists wonder how to rationally utilize these important biological resources while protecting ecosystems?What will be the secret behind this?
