Influence of environmental factors on selenium flux in two marine invertebrates

The influence of certain environmental factors on the flux of selenium through marine biota has been studied, using Mytilus galloprovincialis and Lysmata seticaudata as test organisms of commercial interest. Over a selenium concentration range in sea water spanning 3 orders of magnitude, bioaccumulation of selenium by mussels was strongly dependent upon the ambient selenium concentration in sea water. Mussels accumulated Se (+4) to a much greater extent than Se (+6) and bioaccumulation was dependent upon temperature and mussel size. The presence of varying amounts of mercury did not significantly alter selenium uptake kinetics in mussels. Shrimp accumulated selenium to a lesser degree than mussels, the difference in concentration factors being due to the large amount of sorbed isotope lost with shrimp molts. Once incorporated, selenium was lost more rapidly from shrimp than from mussels. Temperature influenced selenium loss from mussels but did not alter the elimination rate in shrimp. Neither the chemical form of selenium nor mercury concentration in the organism affected loss of selenium from mussels. Elimination of selenium from shrimp was dependent upon the route of uptake; more rapid loss was noted from individuals which had absorbed the isotope directly from water than from those which had accumulated selenium via the food chain. In general, long-term selenium turnover rates were quite similar for both species; biological half-times ranged from 58 to 60 days for shrimp and 63 to 81 days for mussels. In the case of mussels, turnover rates measured in animals maintained in the laboratory differed somewhat from those determined from individuals held in field enclosures. Observed variations in flux rate may have been due to differences in food availability in the two experimental systems.Based on a communication given at the International Symposium on Interaction Between Water and Living Matter, Odessa, USSR, 6–10 October, 1975.     

Effects of oil pollution on the freezing tolerance and solute concentration of the blue mussel Mytilus edulis

Exposure of blue mussels (Mytilus edulis L.) to oil-polluted sea water for 7 d in the laboratory did not affect their body fluid concentrations of inorganic ions and free amino acids. Mussels exposed to-4°C for 12 h did not freeze, whereas freezing occurred invariably in mussels exposed to-7°C or lower temperatures for the same period. Following freezing at-10°C, oil polluted mussels resumed normal activity considerably more slowly than unpolluted ones, but oil-polluted as well as unpolluted mussels showed normal activity 3 h after thawing. Freezing at-15°C was invariably lethal to individuals of both groups. One possible explanation of the delayed recovery of oil-polluted mussels frozen at-10°C may be that oil components had become concentrated to toxic levels as the amount of solvent water diminished during freezing.     

Microprofiles of oxygen in epiphyte communities on submerged macrophytes

Mussels (Mytilus edulis) transferred in net bags from clean to chronically mercury polluted water readily accumulated mercury during an exposure period of three months. Growth of the transplanted mussels had a diluting effect on the mercury concentration, but the absolute weight of mercury uptake increased throughout the entire period, though there was a tendency for decreased efficiency of the removal of mercury per liter of water filtered by the mussels. Mussels were also translocated from polluted to clean (laboratory) water to depurate mercury. The biological half-lives of mercury was 293 d for M. edulis from the chronically polluted area in contrast to only 53 d for mussels from a temporary massive mercury polluted area near a chemical deposit. In both cases about 75% of the total mercury in the mussels was inorganic, and it is suggested that both inorganic and organic mercury species were immobilized in mussels from the long-term mercury polluted area, whereas the immobilization capacity was exceeded in the short-term mercury exposed mussels near the chemical deposit. Very slow elimination of mercury was observed in the deposit-feeding bivalve Macoma balthica from the chronically polluted area, and about 6% of the total mercury was methyl-+phenyl-mercury. This is more than three times lower than found in M. edulis from the same collecting site. A pronounced difference in the mercury speciation (i.e., total mercury, total organic mercury, methyl-mercury and phenyl-mercury) in M. edulis from the two mercury polluted areas is thought to reflect the different character of the mercury pollution in the two areas.     

Desiccation,higher temperatures and upper intertidal limits of three species of sea mussels (Mollusca: Bivalvia) in New Zealand

Distribution, abundance, and resistance adaptations to higher temperature and desiccation of three species of intertidal mussels (Mytilus edulis aoteanus, Perna canaliculus and Aulacomya maoriana) were studied in New Zealand. M. edulis aoteanus generally was more abundant upshore, with P. canaliculus dominating downshore. M. edulis aoteanus was more common than P. canaliculus on the outside of mixed-species clumps. Abundance of A. maoriana was variable, with individuals favouring damp habitats such as inside mussel clumps. In moving air at 75% relative humidity and at 20°C or 30°C, median lethal levels of water loss were similar for P. canaliculus and M. edulis aoteanus but lower for A. maoriana. Rates of desiccation varied inversely with size and were higher for P. canaliculus, due mainly to valve gaping with resultant loss of water from the mantle cavity. M. edulis aoteanus was more tolerant of higher water temperatures than were the other species. Success in colonizing upshore or more aerially exposed habitats seems to be related to ability of small mussels to tolerate desiccation, especially during hot, windy weather.     

Effect of environmental factors on byssal thread formation

The effects of various factors on byssal thread formation have been examined in the laboratory using Modiolus demissus and Mytilus edulis. With M. demissus thread formation (threads/mussel/h0 and proportion of mussels forming threads decreased with increasing size; prior exposure to air enhanced subsequent thread formation; mechanical agitation reduced thread formation. In addition, low salinity acclimated mussels adapted more rapidly to 32 ppt than high salinity acclimated mussels did to 16 ppt; threads were not formed in the absence of calcium and/or magnesium; and there was no reduction in thread formation at temperatures as high as 27° to 28°C. M. edulis died and thread formation approached zero at temperatures exceeding 26°C.     

Responses of an estuarine population of the blue mussel Mytilus edulis to heated water from a steam generating plant

An entire bed of the blue mussel Mytilus edulis, consisting of 5,000 individuals/m², died during June, 1971 in the effluent canal of a steam generating plant when the temperature increased above 27°C. Similarly, the population in the intake canal disappeared when temperatures rose above 27°C in August. Laboratory studies showed that M. edulis could not tolerate continuous temperatures above 27°C, and feeding stopped shortly after the mussels were exposed to 25°C. Histopathological studies indicated that the cause of death of this bivalve was associated with degeneration of the frontal and laterofrontal cilia of the columnar epithelium of the gill filaments. In conjuction with this, there was necrosis and sloughing of the epithelium of the intestinal diverticula. Extensive amoebocytic infiltration was noted in the byssogenous cavity, gill filaments and stomach wall.This paper represents part of a dissertation by the first author, submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, University of Rhode Island, January 1973.     

Some aspects of the thermal tolerance of Trichomya hirsuta (Mollusca: Bivalvia) of Eastern Australia

The upper temperature tolerance range for Trichomya hirsuta L. is described for acclimation temperatures of 10° to 32°C at 30% S. Changes in thermal resistance with time are described along with the incipient lethal temperatures. The eurythermicity for the species is 240.7 C°-squared. The ultimate upper incipient lethal temperature is 35.1°C. Definition of the incipient sublethal temperature is given, and is equal to 32°C. Diet effects are shown not to be significant in short-term lethal experiments, but indicate that unfed mussels reduce their resistance after prolonged exposure to high temperatures. Size was also shown to have no effect on resistance and tolerance. A comparison of the tolerance triangle of T. hirsuta with those of the temperate species Mytilus edulis and Mya arenaria revealed that the 24-h LT₅₀ minus 2.2 C° approximates the incipient lethal temperature. The eurythermicities of the temperate species are Mytilus edulis, 363 C°-squared; and Mya arenaria, 415 C°-squared.     

Testing hypotheses of exponential growth and size-dependent molting rate in two copepod species

Individual copepodids from nature of the lipidstoring, monocyclic, diapausing Calanus glacialis, and from nature and laboratory culture of the non-storing, polycyclic Eurytemora herdmani (both collected new Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1987 and 1988) were reared in excess food at ca. 3 and 10 °C. Soon after molts, prosome lengths and weights [total dry wt (TW) of E. herdmani; structural wt (SW) and estimated oil-sac wt (OSW) of C. glacialis] were measured. Stage durations were close to published temperature-dependent predictions; C. glacialis (almost all females) did not enter resting stages. Growth of body length was linear and of body weight (TW or SW) was exponential, with no sexual difference in E. herdmani. There were mixed effects of sizes on stage durations of individuals: weakly positive at 3 °C (but not significant at ca. 10°C) for length and SW of C. glacialis and generally weakly negative for E. herdmani, except for TW at 10 °C. Body condition (residuals of log SW vs log length) of C. glacialis at ca. 10°C, unlike length or SW, was negatively related to stage duration. There was no relationship between length-corrected SW and OSW in C. glacialis. The various results appear to suggest that health was more important than allometric constraints on growth rates of individuals. However, copepods reared at temperatures very different from those previously experienced may show long-term adjustments of size, whereas development rates respond immediately. If so, only the weakly positive effects on stage durations of length of C. glacialis at ca. 3 °C and of TW of E. herdmani at ca. 10 °C may illustrate expectations under stable temperatures and adequate food in nature.     

A comparative study of metabolic energy expenditure in the limpets Patella cochlear,P. oculus and P. granularis

Oxygen consumption of 3 species of Patella was measured in air and water at various temperatures. Measurements at constant temperature over a full tidal cycle showed no tidal or light-dark rhythms. Measurements under conditions simulating natural tidal, temperature and day-night cycles allowed calculation of daily respiratory energy budgets. P. cochlear occurs low on the shore, but experiences a food shortage due to intense intraspecific competition. Its rate of respiration is moderate, but metabolic expenditure is kept low because exposure to air is brief and body temperatures seldom rise above 23°C. P. cochlear has a respiratory rate-temperature (R-T) curve which peaks at 20°C and forms a plateau between 20° and 32.5°C. The midshore P. oculus has abundant food and adopts an exploitative strategy. Growth rate is very high, and this high turnover of energy is linked with a high metabolic rate, high Q10 (temperature coefficient) values, high body temperatures during the day-time low tide, and a respiratory R-T curve peaking at 32.5°C. Small P. oculus occur mainly in intertidal pools and respire faster in water, while larger individuals occur on bare rocks and respire faster in air over the upper temperature range. In contrast, the upper-shore P. granularis has little food, and conservation of energy is essential, particularly as its growth rate is moderate and its reprocurve output high. Respiratory losses are reduced by suppression of the R-T curve and low Q10 values, resulting in relative independence of temperature. Small P. granularis occur low on the shore and respire slower in water. Larger individuals occur at high levels due to migration, and respire slower in air. This further reduces respiratory energy losses. The patterns of respiration in these 3 species are thus related to food availability, resulting in exploitative or conservationist strategies.     

Effects of temperature on activity,food consumption rates,and gut passage times of seaweed-eating<Emphasis Type="Italic"> Tegula</Emphasis> species (Trochidae) from California

Previous feeding studies on herbivorous marine snails rarely have focused on temperature effects on food intake. If temperature affects food intake, ectothermic snails may experience difficulty obtaining sufficient nutritional resources, limiting their ability to sustain populations at suboptimal temperatures. We hypothesized that the feeding responses of Tegula species would correspond with temperatures characteristic of their geographic distributions. We determined activity, consumption rates, and gut passage times at 11°C, 15°C, 19°C, and 23°C for three Tegula species with distinct thermal distributions: T. brunnea (cold water), T. aureotincta (warm water), and individuals from warm- and cold-water populations of T. funebralis, a broadly distributed species. Activity and consumption rates of T. aureotincta increased with increasing temperature, but were highest for T. brunnea at 19°C, a temperature rarely achieved in habitats occupied by this species, and lowest at 11°C. Warm-water T. funebralis showed significantly lower activity and consumption rates at 11°C, whereas cold-water T. funebralis consumed food fastest at 15°C and were most active at 23°C. Temperature affected gut passage time only in T. aureotincta. These data suggest that temperature might influence the northern limit of T. aureotincta by affecting activity and food consumption rates. T. brunneas activity and ability to consume food were not hindered by warmer temperatures despite the present day restriction of this species to colder waters. Also, widely separated (>300 km) T. funebralis populations may be adapted to regional conditions based on the different temperature responses of northern and southern snails.Communicated by P.W. Sammarco, Chauvin     

Relationships between effects of environmental temperature and seston on growth and mortality of Mytilus edulis in a temperate northern estuary

The growth and mortality of experimentally-rafted Mytilus edulis L. of known age at 7 locations in a northern estuary (Damariscotta River, Maine, USA) were related to environmental temperatures and to the presence or absence of various potential food sources. All particles were regarded as potential food substrates. Growth decreased appreciably at sites where water temperatures exceeded 20°C, but mussels survived a wide range of elevated temperature exposures, ranging from 0 to 149 degree-days in excess of 20°C. The maximum temperature was 25°C. Mortalities of mussels at all sites but did affect the extent of mortality, which increased abruptly in late summer, when water temperatures were declining. Differences in degree-days of exposure to elevated temperatures did not influence the timing of mortality, which occurred synchronously at all times, but did affect the extent of mortality, which ranged from 35 to 90%. The period of high mortality was preceded by a rapid decline in phytoplankton standing crop. Total particle concentrations decreased during this period, but the shift toward larger particles suggests that there was little, if any, decrease in total volume of material in the seston, at least through August. It is suggested that living phytoplankton provided the critical energy source for these mussels, and that the mortalities were caused by rapidly reduced ration at a time of metabolic stress. The role of temperature and the possible role of the gametogenic cycle are discussed. In addition, the feeding efficiency of M. edulis may have decreased during this period due to an increase in mean particle diameter. Chlorophyll was divided into a nannoplankton fraction (<-20 m) and a larger fraction (>20 m). A smaller size criterion for this distinction is proposed for future studies. The importance of nannoplankton to the primary production of this estuary and the role of nannoplankton and nannoplankton-sized particles in the diet of mussels in nature are discussed.     

Quantitative studies on gonad cycle,fecundity, reproductive output and recruitment in a baltic Mytilus edulis population

Since Mytilus edulis L. is a biomass dominant in the Baltic much interest is focused on the ecology of the species. In this paper an attempt is made to quantitatively cover the reproductive cycle of a Baltic M. edulis population in order to provide data for energy flow models and to discuss aspects of recruitment in this species. Histological preparations of gonads showed that gametogenesis started with declining temperatures in autumn and proceeded very slowly through winter. At the beginning of March when food was supplied during the spring phytoplankton bloom, rapid maturation took place. This was also revealed by an increase in meat weight of the mussels. Only one spawning period was recorded, from the middle of May until the beginning of June, due to food being strongly limited to the population during the rest of the year. The length of the larval period was estimated as being 5 to 6 wk and settlement was registered from the end of June through July. In general the large annual variations found in the Baltic with regard to temperature and food abundance give rise to a more marked annual pattern in the reproductive cycle than is encountered in other seas. Fecundity was assessed for two populations from 4-and 15-m depths from studies covering two annual cycles of the changes in the relation of shell length — meat weight. The size-related fecundity was found to be equal in both populations and related to food abundance and not to growth or age. Fecundity, expressed as weight loss at spawning, ranged from 0% in 2-mm mussels and increased from 38 to 52% in 10-to 30-mm mussels. The fecundity as percentage of biomass in full-grown Baltic M. edulis is of similar magnitude as in full-grown mussels from other areas despite the smaller size of Baltic mussels. The reproductive output for the total 160 km² research area was calculated as being 1 200 tons dry weight or 80% of the standing stock, which, due to the particular features of the Baltic M. edulis population probably represents the larger part of the total mussel production. This reproductive output, calculated as 8·10⁷ eggs·m^-2 and corresponding to 50% of the total annual zooplankton production, may thus consitute an important food source for herring larvae and carnivorous zooplankton. Recruitment was divided into two phases: (1) Recruitment of juveniles (=settlement of larvae), and (2) recruitment to breeding stock. Monitoring studies of settlement on ropes and the year round presence of high abundances of mussels <2 mm indicate that settlement is in excess of the demands for maintaining population size and that most settled mussels form a pool of competitively suppressed non-growing individuals. Not until death of an already established mussel will these become recruited to the breeding population. Thus recruitment is possible throughout the year which stabilizes the population and maintains it near the carrying capacity of the area with regard to food and space availability.     

An integrative response by Mytilus chilensis to the toxic dinoflagellate Alexandrium catenella

Physiological responses of Mytilus chilensis exposed to the toxic dinoflagellate Alexandrium catenella were measured over 21 days in the laboratory and were compared with control mussels not exposed to the dinoflagellate. Mussels were collected from culturing ropes at Yaldad Bay, southern Chile (43o08′S 73o44′W), in August 2004 and acclimated to laboratory conditions for one week prior to the experiment. After 8 days, the paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) toxins (i.e. saxitoxin) in the tissues of exposed mussels exceeded safe levels for human consumption. Clearance rates, ingestion of organic matter, and absorption efficiency of exposed mussels were significantly lower than those of controls on day 0, but this was followed by an increase on day 3. The exposed mussels also increased their excretion rate over time, and this increase was significantly correlated with the accumulation of PSP toxins in their tissues. Oxygen consumption was not affected by the PSP toxins. The scope for growth (SFG) on day 0 was negative in exposed mussels, but it increased during the experiment. Although feeding activity and absorption efficiency were adversely affected during the first few days of exposure to PSP toxins from A. catenella in the laboratory, the M. chilensis cultured in Yaldad Bay may have evolved mechanisms that allow them to exploit the toxic dinoflagellate as a food source.     

Factors affecting the flux of arsenic through the mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis

Radiotracer experiments were designed to study the effects of certain environmental and biological factors on arsenic accumulation and elimination processes in the Mediterranean mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis. Arsenic (as arsenate) uptake increased with increasing arsenic concentration in the water; however, the response was not proportional, indicating that accumulation was partially suppressed at higher external arsenic concentrations. In general, approximately 80% of the ⁷⁴As taken up was associated with the soft parts, with small mussels concentrating ⁷⁴As to a greater degree than larger individuals. The highest ⁷⁴As concentrations were recorded in the byssus and the digestive gland. Increased temperature enhanced both arsenic uptake and loss. Mussels in sea water at 19 S accumulated approximately three times more ⁷⁴As than those held at 38 S. Arsenic loss was much less affected by salinity, with only a tendency for greater arsenic retention noted at lower salinities. Studies carried out in the laboratory and in situ revealed that arsenic turnover was significantly more rapid in actively growing individuals living under natural conditions. Arsenic-74 loss from the in situ group was essentially biphasic, with biological half-times of approximately 3 and 32 days for the fast and slow compartments, respectively. The active secretion of arsenic in the byssal threads contributed to the total elimination of the element from the mussels.     

Acquisition and loss of cold-tolerance in adult barnacles (Balanus balanoides) kept under laboratory conditions

In the laboratory, Balanus balanoides (L.) barnacles maintained without food at 5°C over the winter to summer period remained cold-tolerant. Winter animals maintained at 5°C and fed Artemia nauplii under a controlled light-dark regime until mid-summer lost this cold-tolerance. Summer animals, maintained without food at 5° or 15°C until midwinter, became cold-tolerant. Summer and winter animals subjected to increased (or decreased) ambient salinity for 48 h showed a small decrease (or increase) in their lower median lethal temperature (MLT—defined as the temperature at which 50% of the animals die after 18 h exposure to air). Summer animals subjected to desiccation for 48 h also showed a small decrease in their lower MLT. It is concluded that the seasonal changes in cold-tolerance of adult barnacles are probably induced by a combination of environmental factors including food availability, light intensity, day-length and changes in ambient sea-water temperatures. Development of cold-tolerance in the winter did not depend upon fertilisation. Changes in intra-cellular solute concentration which accompany adaptation to changes in ambient salinity or desiccation do not appear to be related to the seasonal changes in cold-tolerance.     

Laboratory studies on the accumulation of inorganic mercury and methylmercury by the mussel (Mytilus galloprovincialis Lam) in relation to the presence of sediment

A comparative study on the accumulation of inorganic mercury and methylmercury by the mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis was based on nine days of exposure to 25 µg L^?1 HgCl₂ or to 2.5 µg L^?1 methylmercury in laboratory microcosms. Mercury (Hg) content was evaluated in the gills, digestive gland, and mantle. A higher accumulation occurred in the gills than in other tissues. The effect of the sediment on the bioaccumulation of the Hg species was evaluated. The results showed that the sediment accumulated the inorganic Hg more efficiently than the methylmercury. In both cases, the bioaccumulation in the tissues was reduced. The observed differences emphasized the need for caution when field results are compared with the results of laboratory experiments. The fate of either inorganic or organic Hg was depicted considering the absolute total amount given and the amount found in all the matrices (organism, sediment, and seawater).     

Predator-prey relationships between the rock lobster Jasus lalandii and the mussel Aulacomya ater at Robben Island on the Cape West Coast of Africa

The natural diet and mode of feeding of the rock lobster Jasus lalandii (H. Milne Edwards) was determined in a rock-lobster sanctuary near Cape Town, South Africa. Field observations were tested and confirmed by means of aquarium studies. Rock lobsters feed mainly upon ribbed mussels Aulacomya ater (Molina), which comprise the largest component of the sessile benthic fauna. Mussel remains were found as the major constituent in 97% of the rock-lobster stomachs examined. The density of rock lobsters averaged 8,100 per hectare (0.81 m^-2), while mussel biomass averaged more than 5 kg (wet whole weight) m^-2 within the same depth range (12 to 30 m). More than 80% of the mussel biomass comprised large individuals between 60 and 90 mm in length. Large rock lobsters (mainly males) were capable of feeding on all sizes of mussels, although many of these were inaccessible to predation. Smaller rock lobsters became progressively more limited in the size range of mussels which they could crack open and consume. Competition between rock lobsters for small mussels appeared to be intense, as mussels of suitable size for feeding were generally in short supply to most of the rock-lobster population. Hence, feeding and growth rates of rock lobsters are likely to be affected by the relative population densities of predator and prey. Growth rates of rock lobsters could be limited by food supplies even in areas where mussel biomass is comparatively large.     

Preliminary rearing experiments on the larvae of Sergestes lucens (Penaedia,Natantia, Decapoda)

Sergestes lucens Hansen, a mesopelagic shrimp fished commercially in Suruga Bay, Japan, was successfully reared from egg to post-larval stage V under laboratory conditions. Chaetoceros ceratosporum and Artemia nauplii were found to be satisfactory food in the laboratory during rearing. Growth, mortality, food preference, and feeding and swimming activities during the various developmental stages were investigated. Temperature changes greatly affected the speed of development and the mortality of the larvae. The optimum temperature range for larval development was 18° to 25°C. The growth rate (length) of larval stages was as rapid as 0.16mm/ day at 20 °C and 0.21 mm/day at 23 °C. The larvae first started feeding on phytoplankton at elaphocaris stage I, and then gradually became predators in the post-larval stages. It is suggested that the critical period for the species occurs in the elaphocaris stages. Environmental data, vertical distribution of the species, and data obtained from laboratory experiments suggest that the fluctuation in the abundance of S. lucens is greatly influenced by the water temperature at around 50 m from June to August. Feeding mechanisms observed in the post-larval stages are described.     

Spawning and development of three coral-associated Lithophaga species in the Red Sea

Lithophaga date mussels from three species (L. lessepsiana, L. simplex and L. purpurea) were removed from their stony coral hosts in the Red sea at Eilat, Israel. Spawning, observed in the laboratory on several occasions during 1987–1988, appeared to be closely tied to lunar periods, occurring primarily during the last quarter and the new moon. Embryonic and larval development was typical of that described for other mytilids and, except for pigmentation differences, which could be discerned during embryogenesis, the developmental stages of the three species were indistinguishable. Development to the pediveliger stage took 3 to 4 wk in standard culture conditions, but raising the temperature to 27.5 °C increased the growth rate of larvae of L. lessepsiana by as much as three-fold, so that the pediveliger stage was attained in 16 d. Larvae resulting from spawning by L. simplex adults removed from the coral Astreopora myriophthalma grew significantly faster in culture than larvac from adults removed from the coral Goniastrea pectinata (comparison of slopes, p<0.05). The latter individuals showed a 6-d growth plateau at the early umbone stage. Metamorphically competent larvae were capable of delaying metamorphosis for up to 4mo, which would allow an extended period for dispersion and would increase the chance of finding a suitable substratum in the natural environment.     

Temperature effects on accumulation and retention of radionuclides in the sea star,Asterias forbesi: implications for contaminated northern waters

Radioactive waste disposal and nuclear testing concentrated in high latitudes in the northern hemisphere have resulted in the accumulation of radionuclides in Arctic marine ecosystems, but little is known of the consequences for marine biota in these waters. Under controlled laboratory conditions in May through September 1994, we examined the bioaccumulation in sea stars, Asterias forbesi (Desor), or the radionuclides ²⁴¹Am, ⁵⁷Co and ¹³⁷Cs, all of which are important components of disposed radioactive wastes. Experiments at 2 and 12°C determined the relative importance of food (the bivalve, Macoma balthica) and water as sources of radionuclides and assessed the influence of temperature on radionuclide influx and efflux rates. The lower temperature greatly increased the retention of radionuclides ingested with food; for instance, the biological half-life (tb _1/2) of ²⁴¹Am in the sea stars was 31 d at 12°C, but was virtually infinite at 2°C. Retention of ingested ⁵⁷Co was also increased at 2°C (tb _1/2=41 d). ¹³⁷Cs was not accumulated from food. Low temperature significantly reduced net influx rates of ¹³⁷Cs from water, but did not affect net uptake of ²⁴¹Am or ⁵⁷Co. Temperature had little effect on the retention of all three isotopes obtained from the dissolved phase. These experiments suggest that extrapolation of results of previous radioecological studies, conducted at warmer temperatures, to polar or temperate winter environments may be problematic, and that nuclear waste isotopes obtained through trophic transfer may be retained far more efficiently in high latitude marine biota than by fauna from warmer ecosystems.