Premium
Climate effects on inter‐annual variation in growth of the freshwater mussel ( Anodonta beringiana ) in an Alaskan lake
Author(s) -
KENDALL NEALA W.,
RICH HARRY B.,
JENSEN LESLIE R.,
QUINN THOMAS P.
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
freshwater biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.297
H-Index - 156
eISSN - 1365-2427
pISSN - 0046-5070
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2427.2010.02447.x
Subject(s) - mussel , bay , biota , ecology , environmental science , latitude , biology , oceanography , fishery , geography , geology , geodesy
Summary 1. Warming trends are evident in many parts of the globe but are especially marked at higher latitudes, with complex effects on the biota that include direct effects on growth potential and indirect effects through food webs. 2. Air temperatures have been increasing over the past 50 years in southwestern Alaska, affecting the growth and population dynamics of many organisms, including a variety of aquatic species such as the freshwater mussel Anodonta beringiana . 3. We collected freshwater mussels from Iliamna Lake, in the Bristol Bay region of Alaska, and measured their shells to examine climatic effects on growth patterns. 4. Linear mixed effects models and ordinary least square linear regressions revealed strong positive correlations between local air temperatures (especially in May, October and the summer months) and inter‐annual variation in mussel growth. Slower mussel growth was also significantly correlated with later date of ice break‐up, which was linked to air temperatures in late spring.