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Elevated pCO2 impairs overall byssus attachment strength in the blue mussel (Mytilus edulis) without altering byssus thread quality
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OA
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DOI：10.3389/fmars.2026.1862461.png)
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Abstract
En 中文
Increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) is driving global ocean acidification (OA). This process may threaten the persistence of bed-forming mussels by weakening the byssal system that anchors them to the seafloor. Here; blue mussels (Mytilus edulis) were exposed to present-day (∼460 ppm pCO2) normocapnic and projected end-century (∼1200 ppm pCO2) hypercapnic conditions for four weeks at 12 °C. Byssus production; thread morphology; whole-byssus mechanics and the underlying physiological condition index (CI) were quantified. Unlike previous studies; this study analysed the byssus as an intact functional unit. This approach better reflects its mechanical performance in situ. Median thread production fell by 50% under elevated pCO2 and the number of individuals producing no threads at all increased from 3% to 23% of the population. Thread diameter and plaque area were unaffected. Whole byssus tensile testing revealed a distinctive mechanical pattern (elastic loading; force plateau; and structural failure) regardless of environmental CO2 concentration. Whole byssus attachment strength scaled linearly with thread number in both treatments; and the mechanical work required to detach mussels under hypercapnia dropped by 42%. Elevated pCO2 reduced mussel condition index by 19% relative to the control; indicating an energetic burden. These results show that near-future ocean acidification weakens mussel attachment primarily by lowering individual physiological condition; which directly drives the reduction in total attachment energy; rather than by lowering individual thread quality. This likely results from a shift in energy use away from thread production; as seen in poorer mussel condition. As a result; mussels may become more prone to being dislodged by waves or predators. The findings of this study indicate that ocean acidification can reduce the overall strength of M. edulis beds; with important effects on rocky shore ecosystems and the viability of mussel farming in a changing climate.
Keywords:
climate change
tensile test
pCO2
blue mussel
Mytilus edulis
attachment strength
byssus
condition index
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