Modiolus modiolus beds

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 have a stabilising effect, due to the production of byssal threads." 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).

"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)

"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)

"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)

Sources:

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

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

For more information please refer to the original documents cited.

Return to North Sea Sediments page.