Mussels Habitat

Mussels are small, non-mobile shellfish that obtain food by filtering tiny particles from the water. Because they filter so much water through their bodies they are especially susceptible to water pollution.

  1. Water Quality

    • Mussels form a large family and live in both saltwater and fresh water. According to the environmental division of the Army Corps of Engineers, most mussel species require a slightly higher than average amount of oxygen in the water in order to live. Some exceptions, like the knobbed rock mussel, have adapted to living in pools with significantly lower oxygen levels.

    Position

    • Mussels generally live half-buried in the sand or gravel at the bottom of their body of water. Those that live in rivers and fast moving streams generally have heavier shells to help prevent being washed away by the current, while those in pools only need shells thick enough to deter predators.

    Threats to Habitats

    • Since muscles can barely move, they are especially vulnerable to habitat destruction. Dam construction is one of the most common causes of habitat loss as mussels do not thrive in deep water. They are unable to move out of the way of dredgers or into deeper water when excessive use of irrigation causes water levels to drop.