Effects of seasonal changes and depth on growth parameters of the Mediterranean mussel (Mytilus galloprovincialis) on a shipwreck in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea

The study was conducted between July 2018 and May 2020 to compare seasonal changes in growth parameters of the Mediterranean mussel (Mytilus galloprovincialis) at different depths in two different areas of the Northeastern Mediterranean Sea (Aegean Sea). In a preliminary study, mussels were placed in cages at different depths of an artificial reef (AR – shipwreck) and natural reef (NR). Temperature, salinity, pH, and dissolved oxygen were determined seasonally at both sites at a depth of 37 m (deepwater) and 25 m (midwater). Linear increases in length and width of mussels at the AR site were recorded, while no consistent changes were observed for mussels at the NR. There was negative correlation between the specific growth rate (SGR) and salinity (r₂ = 0.5098) and temperature (r₂ = 0.1470) at the AR site. Negative correlations were also recorded between pH and the commercial condition index (CCI) at both the AR (r₂ = 0.3869) and NR (r₂ = 0.3600) sites. Our findings show that depth had a significant effect (p < 0.05) on the CCI of mussels at the NR site, while its effect was insignificant for this index at the AR site (p > 0.05). This study indicates that natural reefs provide more suitable conditions for the growth of Mediterranean mussels than shipwrecks used as artificial reefs.

Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey-TÜBİTAK (Grant No. 117Y033). The authors would especially like to thank Hamdullah Aras for his assistance with field logistics and Erdal Songür from İzmir Directorate of Provincial Agriculture and Forestry for supplying information on fish farm data. Many thanks are also due to Darryl T. for language editing and proofreading. We are grateful to the anonymous reviewers whose comments improved this manuscript.

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