section_path: Human interaction/Uses by humans/Bioindicators
section_name: Bioindicators
paragraph_text: Bioindicators
  
  Bivalve molluscs are used as bioindicators to monitor the health of aquatic environments in both fresh water and the marine environments. Their population status or structure, physiology, behaviour or the level of contamination with elements or compounds can indicate the state of contamination status of the ecosystem. They are particularly useful since they are sessile so that they are representative of the environment where they are sampled or placed. Potamopyrgus antipodarum is used by some water treatment plants to test for estrogen-mimicking pollutants from industrial agriculture.Several species of mollusca have been used as bioindicators of environmental stresses that can cause DNA damage. These species include the American oyster Crassostrea virginica, zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha) and the blue mussel Mytilus edulis.