ɪt hˈæzbiːn jˈuːzd æz ɐ bˌaɪoʊˈɪndᵻkˌeɪɾɚ slˈæʃ ˈɪndᵻkˌeɪɾɚ spˈiːsiːz tə stˈʌdi lˈɛvəlz ʌvðə mˈɛɾəlz sɛlˈiːniəm, kˈɑːpɚɹ ænd kˈædmiəm.
It has been used as a bioindicator/indicator species to study levels of the metals selenium, copper and cadmium.