Influence of an Offshore Mussel Aquaculture Site on the Distribution of Epibenthic Macrofauna in Îles de la Madeleine, Eastern Canada
Mussel farming influences benthic environments by organic loading and the addition of physical structure within aquaculture leases. This study evaluated near-field (distance to mussel aquaculture structures, line-scale) and bay-scale (inside vs. outside a blue mussel, Mytilius edulis, farm) effects...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2022-04-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Marine Science |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2022.859816/full |
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| author | Anne-Sara Sean Anne-Sara Sean Annick Drouin Annick Drouin Philippe Archambault Philippe Archambault Christopher W. McKindsey Christopher W. McKindsey Christopher W. McKindsey |
| author_facet | Anne-Sara Sean Anne-Sara Sean Annick Drouin Annick Drouin Philippe Archambault Philippe Archambault Christopher W. McKindsey Christopher W. McKindsey Christopher W. McKindsey |
| author_sort | Anne-Sara Sean |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Mussel farming influences benthic environments by organic loading and the addition of physical structure within aquaculture leases. This study evaluated near-field (distance to mussel aquaculture structures, line-scale) and bay-scale (inside vs. outside a blue mussel, Mytilius edulis, farm) effects of an offshore mussel farm in Îles de la Madeleine (Canada) on epibenthic macrofaunal communities. Benthic communities were evaluated by underwater visual counts using SCUBA in June and July 2014. The mussel farm influenced benthic communities at line- and bay-scales. Overall, crabs (Cancer irroratus, Pagarus pubecsens, Pagarus acadianus), sea stars (Asterias rubens), Northern moon snails (Polinices heros), and American lobsters (Homarus americanus) were more abundant in farm sites than outside of farm sites and ocean quahogs (Arctica islandica) were more abundant outside. No clear spatial trend was observed for winter flounder (Pseudopleuronectes americanus) and the sand dollar (Echinarachnius parma) but both species differed (flounder) or showed a trend to differ (sand dollar) between sampling dates. Spatial structure in the distribution of macrofauna was evident within the aquaculture lease as most species were more abundant directly below and close to mussel lines and anchor blocks. There was no spatial structure in non-farm sites. Further investigation is needed to evaluate if mussel farms serve as ecological traps for the species that congregate within them. The long-term effects of the observed spatial effects of offshore mussel culture on macrofauna fitness remains unknown. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-21T10:58:17Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-83c3fb62b103422e977495215e444731 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2296-7745 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-21T10:58:17Z |
| publishDate | 2022-04-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Marine Science |
| spelling | doaj.art-83c3fb62b103422e977495215e4447312022-12-21T19:06:25ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Marine Science2296-77452022-04-01910.3389/fmars.2022.859816859816Influence of an Offshore Mussel Aquaculture Site on the Distribution of Epibenthic Macrofauna in Îles de la Madeleine, Eastern CanadaAnne-Sara Sean0Anne-Sara Sean1Annick Drouin2Annick Drouin3Philippe Archambault4Philippe Archambault5Christopher W. McKindsey6Christopher W. McKindsey7Christopher W. McKindsey8Institut Maurice-Lamontagne, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Mont-Joli, QC, CanadaInstitut des Sciences de la Mer de Rimouski (ISMER), Université du Québec à Rimouski (UQAR), Rimouski, QC, CanadaInstitut Maurice-Lamontagne, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Mont-Joli, QC, CanadaMinistère des Forêts, de la Faune et des Parcs, Direction de l’Expertise sur la Faune Aquatique, Québec, QC, CanadaInstitut des Sciences de la Mer de Rimouski (ISMER), Université du Québec à Rimouski (UQAR), Rimouski, QC, CanadaDépartement de Biologie, Université Laval, Québec, QC, CanadaInstitut Maurice-Lamontagne, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Mont-Joli, QC, CanadaInstitut des Sciences de la Mer de Rimouski (ISMER), Université du Québec à Rimouski (UQAR), Rimouski, QC, CanadaDépartement de Biologie, Université Laval, Québec, QC, CanadaMussel farming influences benthic environments by organic loading and the addition of physical structure within aquaculture leases. This study evaluated near-field (distance to mussel aquaculture structures, line-scale) and bay-scale (inside vs. outside a blue mussel, Mytilius edulis, farm) effects of an offshore mussel farm in Îles de la Madeleine (Canada) on epibenthic macrofaunal communities. Benthic communities were evaluated by underwater visual counts using SCUBA in June and July 2014. The mussel farm influenced benthic communities at line- and bay-scales. Overall, crabs (Cancer irroratus, Pagarus pubecsens, Pagarus acadianus), sea stars (Asterias rubens), Northern moon snails (Polinices heros), and American lobsters (Homarus americanus) were more abundant in farm sites than outside of farm sites and ocean quahogs (Arctica islandica) were more abundant outside. No clear spatial trend was observed for winter flounder (Pseudopleuronectes americanus) and the sand dollar (Echinarachnius parma) but both species differed (flounder) or showed a trend to differ (sand dollar) between sampling dates. Spatial structure in the distribution of macrofauna was evident within the aquaculture lease as most species were more abundant directly below and close to mussel lines and anchor blocks. There was no spatial structure in non-farm sites. Further investigation is needed to evaluate if mussel farms serve as ecological traps for the species that congregate within them. The long-term effects of the observed spatial effects of offshore mussel culture on macrofauna fitness remains unknown.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2022.859816/fulloffshore mussel aquacultureMytilus edulisHomarus americanusCancer irroratusbenthic macrofaunaspatial variation |
| spellingShingle | Anne-Sara Sean Anne-Sara Sean Annick Drouin Annick Drouin Philippe Archambault Philippe Archambault Christopher W. McKindsey Christopher W. McKindsey Christopher W. McKindsey Influence of an Offshore Mussel Aquaculture Site on the Distribution of Epibenthic Macrofauna in Îles de la Madeleine, Eastern Canada Frontiers in Marine Science offshore mussel aquaculture Mytilus edulis Homarus americanus Cancer irroratus benthic macrofauna spatial variation |
| title | Influence of an Offshore Mussel Aquaculture Site on the Distribution of Epibenthic Macrofauna in Îles de la Madeleine, Eastern Canada |
| title_full | Influence of an Offshore Mussel Aquaculture Site on the Distribution of Epibenthic Macrofauna in Îles de la Madeleine, Eastern Canada |
| title_fullStr | Influence of an Offshore Mussel Aquaculture Site on the Distribution of Epibenthic Macrofauna in Îles de la Madeleine, Eastern Canada |
| title_full_unstemmed | Influence of an Offshore Mussel Aquaculture Site on the Distribution of Epibenthic Macrofauna in Îles de la Madeleine, Eastern Canada |
| title_short | Influence of an Offshore Mussel Aquaculture Site on the Distribution of Epibenthic Macrofauna in Îles de la Madeleine, Eastern Canada |
| title_sort | influence of an offshore mussel aquaculture site on the distribution of epibenthic macrofauna in iles de la madeleine eastern canada |
| topic | offshore mussel aquaculture Mytilus edulis Homarus americanus Cancer irroratus benthic macrofauna spatial variation |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2022.859816/full |
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