Invasion
Invasion Description
1st Record: Honshu/Sanriku Bay (1979, Wilkins et al. 1983)
Geographic Extent
Honshu/Sanriku Bay (1979, Wilkins et al. 1983); Chiba, Honshu/Japan/Pacific Ocean (1988, Suchanek et al. 1997); Honshu/Japan/Mutsu Bay (1992, Suchanek et al. 1997); Hokkaido/Japan/Pacific Ocean (0-78% M. galloprovincialis, 2-73% M. galloprovincialis X M. trossulus, 1-98% M. trossulus, 9 locations, Brannock et al. 2009); Asamushi, Honshu/Japan/Mutsu Bay (1996, Matsumasa et al. 1999)
Vectors
| Level | Vector |
|---|---|
| Alternate | Hull Fouling |
| Alternate | Ballast Water |
Regional Impacts
| Ecological Impact | Competition | |
| The invasion of M. galloprovincialis has reduced native species and altered benthic communities by the development of dense mussel beds. Among species which have been partially replaced are: Crassostrea gigas (Pacific Oyster), Septifer virgatus (a native mussel), Chthamalus challengeri, and the seaweed Sargassum fusiformis (Chavanich et al. 2010). At 5 locations on the south coast of Hokkaido, where M. trossulus was once the sole mussel species, purebred M. galloprovincialis comprised substantial portions of the mussels sampled (28 to 78%), while purebred M. trossulus were 14-73% (Brannock and Hilbish 2010). | ||
| Ecological Impact | Habitat Change | |
| Large beds of M. galloprovincialis have altered benthic communities through the mass deposition of pseudofeces in the sediment, creating hypoxic conditions (Chavanich et al. 2010). | ||
| Ecological Impact | Hybridization | |
| In northern Japanese waters, extensive hybridization between M. galloprovincialis and M. trossulus has occurred (Suchanek et al. 1997; Matsumasa et al. 1999; Brannock et al. 2009; Chavanich et al. 2010). | ||
| Economic Impact | Fisheries | |
| Mussels (M. galloprovincialis) were cultured in Hirota Bay, Japan (Inoue et al. 1997). Extensive aquaculture of mussels is likely in Japan. | ||
| Economic Impact | Shipping/Boating | |
| Greatly increased ship fouling due to M. galloprovincialis had resulted in a great increase in the use of toxic fouling paints, including TBT, with negative effects on native mollusks (Chavanich et al. 2010). | ||