article · Egyptian Journal of Aquatic Biology and Fisheries
This research assesses the health of the Mediterranean mussel, Mytilus galloprovincialis, across four locations on the western Algerian coastline over four seasons. By measuring condition, repletion, and gonado-somatic indices, the investigation tracked seasonal and environmental changes affecting marine life. Physiological performance reached its peak during the summer months, notably at Mostaganem Harbour, before declining sharply in winter. Spatial comparisons showed high values at Mostaganem Harbour and Pointe de l’Aiguille, indicating favourable environmental conditions, whereas Oran Harbour presented consistently lower scores that likely reflect habitat degradation and human disturbance. Honaine showed steady, moderate values, marking it as a dependable reference site. Statistical analyses confirmed significant seasonal and location-driven variations, establishing that these physiological measurements serve as sensitive and practical indicators for evaluating ecosystem quality along Mediterranean shorelines.
Coastal waters often face severe pressure from industrial activity and pollution. Using common marine organisms like mussels provides an accessible, non-invasive method to monitor aquatic health. Tracking how their condition fluctuates across seasons and locations allows environmental managers to detect pollution gradients early and protect marine habitats before degradation becomes irreversible.
This research provides applied baseline data for environmental agencies, port authorities, and coastal biomonitoring programmes seeking cost-effective biological indicators of marine pollution. It is in an applied, field-tested research phase, demonstrating how existing mussel populations can be surveyed to track ecological degradation. However, the abstract does not describe a packaged diagnostic product or a direct commercial route to market.
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This study investigates the seasonal and spatial variability of physiological indices in the Mediterranean mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis (Lamarck, 1819), collected from four coastal stations along the western Algerian coastline: Mostaganem Harbor (S1), Pointe de l’Aiguille (S2), Oran Harbor (S3), and Honaine (S4). Three key biomarkers — the condition index (CI), repletion index (RI), and gonado-somatic index (GSI) — were analyzed as indicators of mussel health and environmental quality across four seasons.Seasonal and spatial differences were assessed using ANOVA, principal component analysis (PCA), and hierarchical cluster analysis (CAH) to evaluate the contribution of each physiological index to temporal and spatial structuring. The results revealed clear seasonal dynamics, with summer representing the peak physiological phase, particularly at S1 (CI: 62.11 ± 2.31; RI: 48.23 ± 2.12; GSI: 18.22 ± 1.45), followed by a marked decline during winter. Spatially, S1 and S2 exhibited consistently high indices, reflecting favorable trophic or environmental conditions, while S3 showed persistently lower values, potentially indicating anthropogenic stress or habitat degradation. Station S4 maintained stable and moderate index values, suggesting environmental resilience and its suitability as a reference site. ANOVA indicated a significant influence of both site and season on CI (P< 0.05), a seasonal effect on RI (P< 0.05), and no significant variation in GSI. PCA clarified the contribution of each index to seasonal and spatial structuring, highlighting the independence of somatic and reproductive parameters. CAH revealed distinct groupings of stations and seasons, which were linked to potential environmental drivers such as pollution gradients, hydrodynamic regimes, and anthropogenic pressures, reinforcing PCA findings. These findings underscore the value of M. galloprovincialis physiological indices as reliable, sensitive, and cost-effective tools for coastal biomonitoring. Highlighting their relevance for environmental monitoring, the results confirm that these indices respond to both natural fluctuations and human-induced pressures, making them suitable for detecting ecosystem changes along the Mediterranean coasts.
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DOI: 10.21608/ejabf.2025.409649.6324
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