Data from: Shell dissolution rates differ fourfold between mussel species

Marine mussels display differential habitat preferences, with species like
Mytilus californianus favoring fully saline environments and Mytilus
trossulus inhabiting sites with greater freshwater input. Determining
abiotic dissolution rates of these species under ocean acidification is
essential for predicting future consequences of climate change for coastal
populations. We examined shell dissolution rates of these congeners under
a range of pH (6.5-9.3) and aragonite saturation states (0.1-9.0). We
additionally quantified experimentally the relative importance of
dissolution from interior versus exterior shell surfaces. M. trossulus
exhibited 4x higher shell dissolution rates than M. californianus. When
the shell interior was sealed against seawater exposure, dissolution rates
decreased significantly in both species, indicating high abiotic
dissolution on the shell interior. Results demonstrate that dissolution
rates can vary between congeners inhabiting the same biogeographic region.
Our finding that freshwater-tolerant M. trossulus has higher abiotic
dissolution under ocean acidification is important because low salinity
may further retard calcification, altering future intertidal population
structure along freshwater-influenced coastlines.