(Created page with "Common name: Horse Mussel "The horse mussel Modiolus modiolus forms dense beds, at depths up to 70 m (but may extend onto the lower shore), mostly in fully saline conditions and often in tide-swept areas. Although M.modiolus is a widespread and common species, horse mussel beds (with typically 30% cover or more) are more limited in their distribution. M.modiolus beds are found on a range of substrata, from cobbles through to muddy gravels and sands, where they tend to h...")
 
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Common name: Horse Mussel
[[File:HorseMussel.jpg|alt=Date: 24/08/2011 Annat Narrows, Lochs Eil and Linnhe Graham Saunders © Marine Scotland. All rights reserved. Please email for details - marinephotos@nature.scot|thumb|Modiolus bed: Modiolus modiolus and Spirobranchus sp. © Marine Scotland. All rights reserved ]]
Modiolus modiolus, is commonly known as horse mussel. When this species covers 30% or more of the seabed with a stabilising effect, they can form the Modiolus modiolus beds or reefs (OSPAR Comission, 2009; NatureScot, 2017).


"The horse mussel Modiolus modiolus forms dense beds, at depths up to 70 m (but may extend onto the lower shore), mostly in fully saline conditions and often in tide-swept areas. Although M.modiolus is a widespread and common species, horse mussel beds (with typically 30% cover or more) are more limited in their distribution. M.modiolus beds are found on a range of substrata, from cobbles through to muddy gravels and sands, where they tend to have a stabilising effect, due to the production of byssal threads." OSPAR Comission (2009).
Usually, horse mussels are part-buried in soft to coarse sediment or attached to rocks, often in tide-swept areas. The horse mussels have a wide distribution, but the horse mussel beds are more limited in their distribution (OSPAR Comission, 2009).


"As M.modiolus is an Arctic-Boreal species, its distribution ranges from the seas around Scandinavia (including Skagerrak & Kattegat) and Iceland south to the Bay of Biscay." OSPAR Comission (2008).
The main threat to M.modiolus beds is fishing activities with trawls and dredges, damaging both the Modiolus and associated epibenthic species (OSPAR Comission, 2008). In addition, aggregate extraction, trenching and pipe/cable-laying, dumping of spoil/cuttings or use of jack-up drilling rigs are also likely to damage horse mussel beds (OSPAR Comission, 2008).[[File:HorseMusselBed.jpg|thumb|A horse mussel bed with dead mans finger and common starfish. © Marine Scotland. All rights reserved]]
'''Sources:'''


"Nomination of M.modiolus beds to be placed on the OSPAR list cited sensitivity, ecological significance and decline with information also provided on threat. The nomination was for all OSPAR regions." OSPAR Comission (2008)
OSPAR Commission (2008). "Case Reports for the OSPAR List of Threatened and/or Declining Species and Habitats". Retrieved from https://www.ospar.org/site/assets/files/44271/horse_mussel_beds.pdf, on 2022-02-10.


"The main threat to Modiolus beds is from fishing, particularly using trawls and dredges, which damage both the Modiolus and associated epibenthic species." OSPAR Comission (2008)
OSPAR Commission (2009). "Background Document for Modiolus modiolus beds". Retrieved from https://www.ospar.org/documents?v=7193, on 2022-02-10.


"Modiolus beds are also likely to be badly damaged by other physical impacts such as aggregate extraction, trenching and pipe/cable-laying, dumping of spoil/cuttings or use of jack-up drilling rigs." OSPAR Comission (2008)
NatureScot. Scotland's Nature Agency (2017). "Horse mussel beds". [https://www.nature.scot/landscapes-and-habitats/habitat-types/coast-and-seas/marine-habitats/horse-mussel-beds Retrieved from https://www.nature.scot/landscapes-and-habitats/habitat-types/coast-and-seas/marine-habitats/horse-mussel-beds] on 2022-02-15.


Sources:
'''A big thank you for Marine Scotland for letting us use some of their photos in our page, namely:'''


"Case Reports for the OSPAR List of Threatened and/or Declining Species and Habitats". OSPAR Commission (2008). Retrieved from <nowiki>https://www.ospar.org/site/assets/files/44271/horse_mussel_beds.pdf</nowiki> accessed on 2022-02-10.
* "A Modiolus modiolus bed with Alcyonium digitatum, Asterias rubens, hydroids and Paguridae sp." Date: 22/08/2011. Loch Linnhe Graham Saunders © Marine Scotland. All rights reserved. Please email for details - marinephotos@nature.scot.
* "Modiolus bed: Modiolus modiolus and Spirobranchus sp." Date: 24/08/2011. Annat Narrows, Lochs Eil and Linnhe Graham Saunders © Marine Scotland. All rights reserved. Please email for details - marinephotos@nature.scot. Image ref: SNH_LL_2011_IMG_4139a.tif


"Background Document for Modiolus modiolus beds". OSPAR Commission (2009). Retrieved from <nowiki>https://www.ospar.org/documents?v=7193</nowiki>, accessed on 2022-02-10.


For more information please refer to the original documents cited.
[[Sediments#tab%3DNorth%20Sea|'''Return to North Sea Sediments page.''']]
 
 
[[Sediments#tab%3DNorth%20Sea|Return to North Sea Sediments page.]]

Latest revision as of 11:34, 15 March 2022

Date: 24/08/2011 Annat Narrows, Lochs Eil and Linnhe Graham Saunders © Marine Scotland. All rights reserved. Please email for details - marinephotos@nature.scot
Modiolus bed: Modiolus modiolus and Spirobranchus sp. © Marine Scotland. All rights reserved

Modiolus modiolus, is commonly known as horse mussel. When this species covers 30% or more of the seabed with a stabilising effect, they can form the Modiolus modiolus beds or reefs (OSPAR Comission, 2009; NatureScot, 2017).

Usually, horse mussels are part-buried in soft to coarse sediment or attached to rocks, often in tide-swept areas. The horse mussels have a wide distribution, but the horse mussel beds are more limited in their distribution (OSPAR Comission, 2009).

The main threat to M.modiolus beds is fishing activities with trawls and dredges, damaging both the Modiolus and associated epibenthic species (OSPAR Comission, 2008). In addition, aggregate extraction, trenching and pipe/cable-laying, dumping of spoil/cuttings or use of jack-up drilling rigs are also likely to damage horse mussel beds (OSPAR Comission, 2008).

A horse mussel bed with dead mans finger and common starfish. © Marine Scotland. All rights reserved

Sources:

OSPAR Commission (2008). "Case Reports for the OSPAR List of Threatened and/or Declining Species and Habitats". Retrieved from https://www.ospar.org/site/assets/files/44271/horse_mussel_beds.pdf, on 2022-02-10.

OSPAR Commission (2009). "Background Document for Modiolus modiolus beds". Retrieved from https://www.ospar.org/documents?v=7193, on 2022-02-10.

NatureScot. Scotland's Nature Agency (2017). "Horse mussel beds". Retrieved from https://www.nature.scot/landscapes-and-habitats/habitat-types/coast-and-seas/marine-habitats/horse-mussel-beds on 2022-02-15.

A big thank you for Marine Scotland for letting us use some of their photos in our page, namely:

  • "A Modiolus modiolus bed with Alcyonium digitatum, Asterias rubens, hydroids and Paguridae sp." Date: 22/08/2011. Loch Linnhe Graham Saunders © Marine Scotland. All rights reserved. Please email for details - marinephotos@nature.scot.
  • "Modiolus bed: Modiolus modiolus and Spirobranchus sp." Date: 24/08/2011. Annat Narrows, Lochs Eil and Linnhe Graham Saunders © Marine Scotland. All rights reserved. Please email for details - marinephotos@nature.scot. Image ref: SNH_LL_2011_IMG_4139a.tif


Return to North Sea Sediments page.

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This page was last edited on 15 March 2022, at 11:34. Content is available under GPLv3 unless otherwise noted.