The Green Mussel

Hola! Bonjour! Hi :D. This week we look at yet another marine IAS, the green mussel (scientific name: Perna viridis). 

©U.S. Geological Survey 

 

Distribution

Worlwide Distribution of the Perna Viridis. ©Cabi.org

This particular bivalve originated on the coasts of the Indo-Pacific and Asia-Pacific regions. However, within the 1990s and the early 2000s this species found its way thousands of miles away from its home. In coastal areas like Japan, North and South America, Australia and even Caribbean islands such as Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago. This bivalve's main mode of transportation was through ballast water from ships and the attachment of adult mussels on the hulls of ships. 

Image showing how ballast water disperses foreign material and organisms. ©Shipsan.eu

What made this particular IAS so successful?

• Can exist in a wide temperature range and salinity range, from 10-42°C and 18-33ppt respectfully. These physical traits gives the green mussel such a high tolerance range. 
• High range of tolerance to pollution. 
• They grow rapidly in dense colonies. Population densities of 39,500 individuals per square meter have been recorded (Lalla, 2015).

Impact

As an IAS, this bivalve has negatively impacted several areas economically and environmentally. From an economic perspective, large colonies of this species can cause problems for power plants that utilize sea water cooling systems. Neitzel et al. (1984) explained that not only does it block the passage of water resulting in mechanical damage to the pumps, but it also reduces the transfer of heat. 

Clogging of a power plant filter by the green mussel. ©The University of Florida

It has also caused the clogging and corrosion of condenser tubes. The abundance of problems caused by Perna Viridis results in high maintanence costs for power plant managers. The growth of colonies on the hull of ships is an added maintenance cost to ship owners. Environmentally, the bivalve causes problems due to its high reproductive capacity which results in the out-competing of local organisms for space and food. 

Methods of Mitigation

Like any other marine animal, the main way to get rid of the problem, is to eat it! Several countries impacted by the green mussel invasion including Trinidad and Tobago, Japan and many others have commercialized the green mussel by advertising cooking recipes and uses in culinary practice. Currently, recipes can be found can be found on famous websites such as foodnetwork.com and livestrong.com. The problem therefore, has been controlled by appealing to the over-exploitative nature of humans.  

Example of green mussel being used in culinary practice. ©Tampa Bay Times