Citation: Rodhouse, P.G., Roden, C.M., Hensey, M.P. & Ryan, T.H. 1985 Production of mussels, Mytilus edulis, in suspended culture and estimates of carbon and nitrogen flow: Killary Harbour, Ireland. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 65: 55-68
Number of Pages: 14
Volume Part: 1
Keywords: Aquaculture, Ecology, Fauna, Galway, Marine, Marine Inlet, Mayo, Mollusca, Population
Abstract: Gives breakdown of carbon and nitrogen flow through a mussel culture raft. Production of cultured mussels exceeds that by wild populations on the shore by an order of magnitude, but wild mussels make a major contribution to the release of gametes into the inlet. Cultured mussels clear a mean of 47% of chlorophyll a and 62% of carotenoids from the water column; about 20% of carbon and nitrogen cleared is deposited back into the column and dispersed. Dense aggregations of starfish occur beneath culture rafts and apparently consume mussels which fall from the ropes.