ENERGY BUDGET OF CAGED COMMON MUSSELS (Mytilus edulis) IN THE VICINITY OF AN INDUSTRIAL CENTRE ON THE SWEDISH WEST COAST
The Askerö fjord receives wastewater from petrochemical industries located in Stenungsund on the Swedish west coast. During the autumn of 1987 an investigation was performed where the physiological status of common mussels (Mytilus edulis) which had been caged in this area was studied. The measured physiological parameters were: feeding rate, absorption efficiency, respiration and ammonia excretion. An energy budget indicating the specific scope for growth (SFG) for each mussel was calculated from these data. As a complement to the SFG measurements shell growth of the mussels was also recorded. The net current in the area flows north. Caged mussels were placed along a hypothetical pollution gradient north of the industrial discharge area. A control station was placed 2 km south of the outlets. Measurements were carried out after 9 and 12 weeks of exposure. Mussels from the control station had higher SFG values and had grown more than mussels from the other stations. “Complete abstract not presented.”