Effects of the Filter-Feeding Benthic Bivalve Corbicula fluminea on Plankton Community and Water Quality in Aquatic Ecosystems: A Mesocosm Study

The influence of filter-feeding bivalves on plankton communities, nutrients, and water quality in a given aquatic ecosystem is so profound that they can be considered engineers. In 70-day mesocosm experiment, we tested the hypothesis Corbicula fluminea would change community structure by reducing small zooplankton large phytoplankton improve nutrients. We monitored levels nitrogen phosphorus, organic suspended solids (OSS), light at sediment surface. Within plankton, biomass (as Chl a, >0.45 ?m), microphytoplankton (>20 nanophytoplankton (2–20 picophytoplankton (0.2–2 were determined. Compared with controls, C. reduced abundance rotifers phytoplankton, picophytoplankton, thereby modifying structure. did not observe reductions TN TP concentration, but OSS concentrations reduced, intensity surface was increased as result improved transparency. Our research shows colonization may modify eutrophic shallow lakes, shedding further ecological roles ecosystems.