Age structure, natural mortality and growth, as well as age- and size-dependent changes in parameters of energy metabolism were studied in blue mussels Mytilus edulis (L.) from the White Sea. Mussels were sampled in August (Summer sample, SS) and October (Autumn sample, AS) and contained animals of three size groups, 2-9 years old. Field data showed an increase of mortality of mussels and strong decrease in growth rates after 6 years of age. Absolute tissue growth increment (AI) reconstructed from winter growth marks on the shells decreased with age and was strongly size-dependent, while relative tissue growth increment (RI) did not depend on size of the animals. Respiration rates and citrate synthase activity demonstrated power regression versus tissue weight with regression coefficients -0.231 and -0.170, respectively. After weight correction both parameters showed a decrease with increasing age. ATP and phosphagen levels also showed a pronounced decrease in animals older than 5-6 years despite considerable differences in the absolute values of both parameters in SS and AS. pH, in mussels was also age-dependent and decreased with increasing age after 5 years. In air exposed mussels, pHi was reduced only at young age such that pHi was low and constant within the whole age range. Our data give evidence that aerobic metabolic rate in M. edulis from the studied population declines when animals reach an age of about 6 years. The decrease in oxygen consumption reflects the drop in mitochondrial respiration, which is mirrored by the decrease in CS activity. A concomitant fall in ATP turnover may include a downregulation of the mechanisms of acid-base regulation. pHi will then approach equilibrium indicated by lower pHi values in older animals. Our data suggest that intrapopulational comparisons of physiological parameters in mussels should take into account age composition of compared samples. © 2001 Elsevier Science B.V.