Iceberg Scour and Shell Damage in the Antarctic Bivalve Laternula elliptica

Harper, Elizabeth M.; Clark, Melody S. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3442-3824; Hoffman, Joseph I.; Philipp, Eva E. R.; Peck, Lloyd S. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3479-6791; Morley, Simon A. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7761-660X. 2012 Iceberg Scour and Shell Damage in the Antarctic Bivalve Laternula elliptica. Plos One, 7 (9). 12, pp. 10.1371/journal.pone.0046341

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Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0046341

Abstract/Summary

We document differences in shell damage and shell thickness in a bivalve mollusc (Laternula elliptica) from seven sites around Antarctica with differing exposures to ice movement. These range from 60% of the sea bed impacted by ice per year (Hangar Cove, Antarctic Peninsula) to those protected by virtually permanent sea ice cover (McMurdo Sound). Patterns of shell damage consistent with blunt force trauma were observed in populations where ice scour frequently occurs; damage repair frequencies and the thickness of shells correlated positively with the frequency of iceberg scour at the different sites with the highest repair rates and thicker shells at Hangar Cove (74.2% of animals damaged) compared to the other less impacted sites (less than 10% at McMurdo Sound). Genetic analysis of population structure using Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphisms (AFLPs) revealed no genetic differences between the two sites showing the greatest difference in shell morphology and repair rates. Taken together, our results suggest that L. elliptica exhibits considerable phenotypic plasticity in response to geographic variation in physical disturbance.

Item Type:	Publication - Article
Digital Object Identifier (DOI):	10.1371/journal.pone.0046341
Programmes:	BAS Programmes > Polar Science for Planet Earth (2009 - ) > Ecosystems
ISSN:	1932-6203
Additional Information. Not used in RCUK Gateway to Research.:	http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5/
NORA Subject Terms:	Glaciology
Date made live:	26 Nov 2012 15:38 +0 (UTC)
URI:	https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/20565

Item Type:

Publication - Article

Digital Object Identifier (DOI):

10.1371/journal.pone.0046341

Programmes:

BAS Programmes > Polar Science for Planet Earth (2009 - ) > Ecosystems

ISSN:

1932-6203

Additional Information. Not used in RCUK Gateway to Research.:

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5/

NORA Subject Terms:

Glaciology