Anti-predatory responses of Mytilus coruscus to the combined effects of ocean acidification and microplastics
ID:546
Poster Presentation
2027-01-15 16:15 (China Standard Time)
Session:Session 15 - Marine Micro- and Nano-Plastics: Novel Methods, Environmental Fate and Ecological Effects
Abstract
Ocean acidification (OA) and microplastics (MPs) pollution are major abiotic stressors in coastal ecosystems. Byssus is the core structural trait for Mytilus coruscus to defend against predators, and it is vulnerable to environmental stress, which in turn impairs its anti-predator function. However, the anti-predator response characteristics of M. coruscus byssus and the interaction mechanisms among OA, MPs and predation pressure from Charybdis japonica remain unclear under their combined stress. The study conducted acute exposure experiments, measuring five key byssus indicators: secretion frequency, quantity, diameter, volume and tensile strength, to explore the variation characteristics of the byssus-based anti-predator function of M. coruscus under multistressor conditions. Results showed that predators served as a key biological signal to trigger the anti-predator responses and significantly promoted byssus secretion; OA had the most prominent inhibitory effect on byssus function; MPs exposure only induced sublethal disturbances with no significant effects on core anti-predator indicators. Furthermore, the combined stress of ocean acidification and microplastics exhibited a synergistic trend, impairing the byssus-centered antipredatory defense capacity of M. coruscus. This study provides experimental evidence for analyzing the variation patterns of mussel byssus under multiple stressors and suggests that future marine ecological risk assessments should focus on the interactions between biotic and abiotic stressors to more accurately predict the dynamic changes of coastal ecosystems.
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Important Dates
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Jan 30
2026
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Mar 31
2026
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Apr 30
2026
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Jun 30
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Sep 15
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Oct 15
2026
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Jan 12–15
2027
XMAS 2027
