What is the typical daily water filtration capacity estimated for a single adult zebra mussel under favorable conditions?

Answer

Between one and two liters of water per day

The ecological scale of the zebra mussel invasion is directly proportional to the sheer volume of water they process. An individual adult mussel exhibits a staggering capacity for water clearance. When environmental conditions are ideal, such as when water temperatures are above freezing and the organism is metabolically active, a single mussel can filter an amount of water commonly estimated to be within the range of one to two liters over the course of a single day. This volume accumulation, especially when considering dense colonies aggregating across substrate surfaces, leads to the massive cumulative effect observed in invaded lakes and rivers, fundamentally altering water chemistry and particle loads throughout the entire water column.

What is the typical daily water filtration capacity estimated for a single adult zebra mussel under favorable conditions?

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dietinvasive specieszebra musselBivalve