Heart rate of the blue mussel Mytilus edulis in a simulated intertidal environment

Abstract

Despite being a topic of early experimental studies, the effects of immersion-emersion cycles and temperature on the heart rate of intertidal Mytilus mussels have not been fully characterized. Using a recently released intertidal chamber paired with our own software package, we conducted a multiday experiment and continuously monitored the heart rate of the blue mussel Mytilus edulis. Under normal conditions, we detected a subtle spike in heart rate upon emersion before the eventual decline, as well as an overshoot upon reimmersion. Additionally, heart rate was sensitive to temperature changes during immersion but less responsive during emersion. These patterns were markedly altered following an unintended prolonged emersion event, which led to the loss of the emersion spike, an extended reimmersion overshoot, and heightened thermal sensitivity on top of an overall elevation in heart rate. However, the heart rate gradually returned to the pre-event baseline over the following days, demonstrating the significant resilience of the mussels. Our study highlights the potential of high-resolution physiological data in assessing the effects of environmental stressors on coastal ecosystems.