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Biological effects of contaminants: Measurement of scope for growth in mussels

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posted on 2006-01-01, 00:00 authored by J. Widdows, F. Staff

Scope for growth (SFG) is a method of assessing the whole-animal physiological response to sublethal stress induced by pollutants. It has been applied widely in small- and large-scale pollution monitoring programmes in various regions of the world, ranging from temperate to tropical. SFG was primarily developed for use with suspension-feeding mussels (Mytilus edulis or similar indigenous species) and in combination with the analysis of chemical contaminants in mussel tissues. SFG is based on the  measurement of physiological responses, such as feeding and respiration rate, and is derived from the difference between energy acquisition (rate of feeding and digestion) and energy expenditure (metabolic rate). The method has been successfully tested nationally in a range of UK monitoring programmes and internationally as part of IOC (Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission) Biological Effects Workshops to evaluate and compare pollution  effects measurements at different levels of biological organization.

History

Published under the auspices of the following ICES Steering Group or Committee

  • HAPISG

Published under the auspices of the following ICES Expert Group or Strategic Initiative

WGBEC

Series

ICES Techniques in Marine Environmental Science (TIMES)

Volume

40

Contributors (Authors)

John Widdows; Fred Staff

ISBN

978-87-7482-292-9

ISSN

2707-6997

Recommended citation

Widdows, J., and Staff, F. 2006. Biological effects of contaminants: Measurement of scope for growth in mussels. ICES Techniques in Marine Environmental Science, Vol. 40. 34 pp. https://doi.org/10.17895/ices.pub.5064