Lipid storage may help invasive mussels to survive in limited food conditions.

The flow direction forms a west-east nutrient gradient in Lake Balaton and separates two basins with different food conditions indicated by the annual mean of water chlorophyll-a concentration. Trends of protein and carbohydrate contents of the invasive quagga mussel decline along the longitudinal coordinates, whereas lipids increase in mussels living between the two basins under moderate food conditions. Lipid accumulation might rescue the mussels when carbohydrate stores deplete.