Abstract
Brown tides formed by Aureoumbra lagunensis decrease light penetration in the water column and are often followed by hypoxic events that result in the loss of fish and shellfish. To understand the ability of bivalve filter feeders to control and prevent A. lagunensis blooms, we exposed eastern oysters ( Crassostrea virginica ), hooked mussels ( Ischadium recurvum ), and hard clams ( Mercenaria mercenaria ) to a naturally co-occurring brown tide in the Indian River Lagoon (IRL), Florida, United States. Bivalves were exposed in the laboratory to multiple concentrations (10 4 to 10 6 cells mL –1 ) of isotopically labeled ( 13 C and 15 N) A. lagunensis cells. The standard clearance rate (herein clearance rate) of each bivalve species was calculated using flow cytometry to quantify A. lagunensis cell removal. The highest clearance rates were at 10 4 cells mL –1 , but values varied across bivalve species (2.16 ± 0.30, 3.03 ± 0.58, and 0.41 ± 0.12 L h –1 for C. virginica , I. recurvum , and M. mercenaria , respectively). Although clearance rates decreased with increasing bloom concentrations, bivalves were still consuming algal cells at all concentrations and were retaining and assimilating more cells at the highest concentrations, as revealed by δ 13 C and δ 15 N values. We highlight interspecific differences among bivalve species in the removal of A. lagunensis , supporting the importance of healthy and diverse filter feeding communities in estuaries, especially as threats of brown tides and other HABs are increasing in the Anthropocene.