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Size-dependent biomarker profiles in the zebra mussel Dreissena polymorpha: implications for freshwater biomonitoring

Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: In freshwater biomonitoring, the zebra mussel Dreissena polymorpha is commonly used as a sentinel organism, with individuals usually standardised by shell length as a proxy for age to limit inter-individual variability. However, the relationship between shell length and estimated biological age can vary both within and across populations. This raises questions about the biological relevance of size-based standardisation and the comparability of data across studies using different size ranges. The present study examined how a battery of biochemical biomarkers, covering energy metabolism, antioxidant and detoxification defences, and cellular damage, varied across five defined size classes distributed along juvenile and adult life stages, sampled during a pre-spawning and a post-spawning period. Biochemical biomarker profiles were differentiated across size classes during the pre-spawning period, consistent with distinct physiological strategies between juveniles and adults, whilst discrimination was reduced during the post-spawning. These results were consistent with body mass patterns, which diverged among classes during pre-spawning but were less differentiated following gamete release. Biomarker profiles thus differed across size classes and sampling period, with a significant interaction between size class and sampling period detected for six of the eleven biomarkers analyzed, highlighting the importance of accounting for the size-age relationship in biomonitoring studies to achieve a biologically realistic interpretation of results.
DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpb.2026.111292
Language: English
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $3,080
OpenAlex ID: W7222833700
FWCI:
Cites: 48
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Related to: 10