Editing Mussel (section)

==Environmental applications==
Mussels are widely used as bio-indicators to monitor the health of aquatic environments in both fresh water and the marine environments. They are particularly useful since they are distributed  worldwide and they are sessile. These characteristics ensure that they are representative of the environment where they are sampled or placed. Their population status or structure, physiology, [http://molluscan-eye.epoc.u-bordeaux1.fr/index.php?rubrique=accueil&lang=en behaviour] or the level of contamination with elements or compounds can indicate the status of the ecosystem.<ref>[http://ccma.nos.noaa.gov/about/coast/nsandt/musselwatch.aspx Mussel Watch Programme] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150907012135/http://ccma.nos.noaa.gov/about/coast/nsandt/musselwatch.aspx |date=2015-09-07 }}</ref> Transplanted caged mussel were used in a study to monitor heavy metal contamination in coastal waters.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Eugene Ng |first1=Y. J. |last2=Yap |first2=C. K. |last3=Zakaria |first3=M. P. |last4=Tan |first4=S. G. |title=Assessment of Heavy Metal Pollution in the Straits of Johore by Using Transplanted Caged Mussel, Perna viridis |url=http://www.pertanika.upm.edu.my/pjst/browse/regular-issue?article=JST-0292-2011 |journal=Pertanika Journal of Science & Technology |volume=21 |issue=1 |pages=75–96}}</ref>