First records of Conrad’s false mussel, Mytilopsis leucophaeata (Conrad, 1831) in the southern Bothnian Sea, Sweden, near a nuclear power plant

摘要

The invasive, biofouling, Conrad’s false mussel Mytilopsis leucophaeata was first recorded in Sweden during spring 2011 in the coolingwater system of the power plant of Forsmark in the southern Bothnian Sea. The cooling water discharge area offers a favourable environmentfor growth, survival, and reproduction of M. leucophaeata and may provide a stepping stone for further spread. We present three differentstudies in the area, revealing a rapid increase in mussels in the artificially heated area, with densities of the magnitude of thousands ofindividuals m-2, as well as mussels living in surrounding waters, indicating an on-going expansion in the region.