Freshwater Pulse Mortality and Growth Data for Estuarine Molluscs

Fisheries and Oceans Canada provides experimental data on the mortality and growth of three estuarine mollusc species exposed to freshwater pulses. The dataset contains individual-level records, including date of death, initial weight, and morphometric measurements taken over a six-week laboratory experiment. Results are published in the Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology.

Use Cases

• Model species-specific mortality thresholds using date of death and freshwater exposure duration data.
• Analyze growth rate changes by comparing initial length, width, and height measurements against those taken after two, four, or six weeks.
• Assess individual survival and weight variation by correlating initial weight with recorded date of death.

Strengths

• Data originates from a controlled laboratory experiment with a defined six-week duration and 12 freshwater pulse treatments.
• Includes detailed individual-level records for three key benthic species: Littorina saxatilis, Macoma balthica, and Mytilus spp.
• Study methodology and results are peer-reviewed and published in a scientific journal.

Limitations

• Sample size and number of rows are unknown, limiting statistical power assessments.
• Data is limited to a specific laboratory setting and may not fully represent natural estuarine conditions.
• Geographic origin of the specimens is not specified, potentially limiting ecological generalizability.

Provenance

Source

Fisheries and Oceans Canada

Collection Method

Laboratory experiment at the Maurice Lamontagne Institute where molluscs were exposed to a gradient of freshwater pulses over six weeks.

Time Range

Covers the duration of the six-week laboratory experiment.

Freshness

Data was last updated in March 2026.

Geography

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