Population effect of relantionship between morphological traits and fitness in Mediterannean mussel (Mytilus galloprovincialis, Lamarck 1819)

Morfologija mediteranske dagnje, Mytilus galloprovincialis (Lamarck 1819.) osim genetskim, uvjetovana je i okolišnim čimbenicima. Prve promjene u kvaliteti okoliša vide se na morfološkim obilježjima koja utječu na preživljavanje jedinki. Cilj istraživanja bio je analiza varijacija i fluktuirajuće asimetrije morfoloških obilježja ljušture dviju populacija dagnje Mytilus galloprovincialis, te utjecaj izlaganja stresnim okolišnim uvjetima na fitnes. U tu je svrhu proveden mezokozmos eksperiment pod kontroliranim uvjetima s povećanom koncentracijom bakra. Eksperiment je proveden na uzorku od 800 dagnji na dvije populacije prikupljene s čiste postaje Marina i onečišćene postaje Gruž. PCA analiza morfoloških obilježja pokazala je odvojeno grupiranje dva seta podataka što objašnjava populacijsku specifičnost populacija Marina i Gruž. Za obje populacije morfološka obilježja povezana sa stražnjim mišićima aduktorom i rektraktorom te duljinom ljušture korelirala su pozitivno s duljim preživljavanjem. Uspoređivanjem 12 morfometrijskih obilježja lijeve i desne ljušture za obje populacije uočena je fluktuirajuća asimetrija. Stres na stres testom utvrđeno je kraće preživljavanje dagnji s čiste postaje Marina, te dulje preživljavanje s onečišćene postaje Gruž.The morphology of the Mediterranean mussel, Mytilus galloprovincialis (Lamarck 1819) is under great impact of genetic and environmental factors. Changes in the environment quality can be seen on the morphological traits that affect on survival. The aim of this study was to analyze variations and fluctuating asymmetry of morphological characteristics of two populations mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis, and the impact of exposure to stressful environmental conditions on fitness. For this purpose an mesocosmos experiment was conducted under controlled conditions with an increased Cu content. The experiment was carried out on a sample of 800 mussels on two populations collected from the clean station Marina and contaminated harbor Gruž. PCA analysis of morphological characteristics showed a separate grouping of two sets of data which explained the populations difference between populations Gruž and a Marina. Morphological characteristics associated with posterior muscle adductor and retractor and with the length of the shell positively correlated with longer survival. Comparison of 12 morphometric traits of left and right shell from both populations showed significant fluctuating asymmetry. Stress on stress test showed longer survival of mussels from contaminated location Gruž than of mussels from clean station Marina