Ecological flow needs of freshwater mussels Active
Streamflow characteristics are rapidly changing in response to climate variability, water management practices, and a variety of other human water demands. Alterations in water quantity can have direct impacts on aquatic organisms (e.g., stranding, displacement, disruption of spawning), and can be especially detrimental to organisms with limited mobility. Freshwater mussels are one such group of organisms. Within the United States, ~30% of the U.S.’s 300 freshwater mussel species are listed as threatened or endangered. Mussels are considered to be ecosystem engineers due to their profound impacts on stream quality and function, impacting nutrient dynamics, primary production, and community composition of co-occurring aquatic species. Resource managers in many locations are seeking to minimize dramatic alterations to streamflow to conserve numerous key aquatic species, while still meeting the many water demands of humans.
USGS researchers are working to identify the streamflow characteristics (e.g. depth, flow, temperature) that are most important for sustaining freshwater mussel populations and their host fish. Much of this work has focused on the Federally endangered dwarf wedgemussel, Alasmidonta heterodon, a rare species found in several major waterways along the Atlantic Coast. However, researchers have also been addressing the ecological flow requirements of both at risk and common mussel species given their importance to streams and rivers and an increased interest in conserving and restoring native populations to improve water quality.
Related Articles:
- Live stream of public seminar in Reston on freshwater mussels: https://www.usgs.gov/media/audio/stranger-fiction-secret-lives-freshwater-mussels
- USGS Science Features Top Story, April 4, 2014, The secret lives of mussels: America’s most endangered species! (https://archive.usgs.gov/archive/sites/www.usgs.gov/blogs/features/usgs_top_story/the-secret-lives-of-mussels-americas-most-endangered-species/index.html)
- galbr:
- Galbraith HS, Blakeslee CJ, Lellis WA (2012) Recent thermal history influences thermal tolerance in freshwater mussel species (Bivalvia:Unionoida) Freshwater Science 31:83-92 doi:10.1899/11-025.1. https://pubs.er.usgs.gov/publication/70043978
- Galbraith HS, Blakeslee CJ, Lellis WA (2015) Behavioral responses of freshwater mussels to experimental dewatering Freshwater Science 34:42-52. https://pubs.er.usgs.gov/publication/70159362
- Galbraith HS, Lellis WA, Cole JC, Blakeslee CJ, St. John White B (2016) Population demographics for the federally endangered dwarf wedgemussel Journal of Fish and Wildlife Management 7:377-387 doi:10.3996/112014-jfwm-084. https://pubs.er.usgs.gov/publication/70178662
- Galbraith HS, Blakeslee CJ, Cole JC (2018) Freshwater mussel salvage and relocation at the Pond Eddy Bridge, Delaware River, New York and Pennsylvania. https://pubs.er.usgs.gov/publication/ofr20181009
- Galbraith HS, Blakeslee CJ, Cole JC, Silldorff EL (2018) Freshwater mussel survey for the Columbia Dam removal, Paulins Kill, New Jersey. Reston, VA. doi:10.3133/ofr20181074. https://pubs.er.usgs.gov/publication/ofr20181074
- Cole JC, Townsend PA, Eshleman KN, White BS, Galbraith HS, Lellis WA (2018) Using United States Geological Survey stream gages to predict flow and temperature conditions to maintain freshwater mussel habitat River Research and Applications 34:977-992. https://pubs.er.usgs.gov/publication/70200889
- White BS, Ferreri CP, Lellis WA, Wicklow BJ, Cole JC (2017) Geographic variation in host fish use and larval metamorphosis for the endangered dwarf wedgemussel Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems 27:909-918. https://pubs.er.usgs.gov/publication/70192270
- Maloney KO, Lellis WA, Bennett RM, Waddle TJ (2012) Habitat persistence for sedentary organisms in managed rivers: the case for the federally endangered dwarf wedgemussel (Alasmidonta heterodon) in the Delaware River Freshwater Biology 57:1315-1327 doi:10.1111/j.1365-2427.2012.02788.x. https://pubs.er.usgs.gov/publication/70043559
- Campbell CA, Prestegaard KL (2016) Physical and chemical constraints limit the habitat window for an endangered mussel Hydrobiologia 772:77-91 doi:10.1007/s10750-016-2642-9. https://pubs.er.usgs.gov/publication/70170547
- Campbell CA, Hilderbrand RH (2017) Using maximum entropy to predict suitable habitat for the endangered dwarf wedgemussel in the Maryland Coastal Plain Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems 27:462-475 doi:10.1002/aqc.2699. https://pubs.er.usgs.gov/publication/70185013
- Overview
Streamflow characteristics are rapidly changing in response to climate variability, water management practices, and a variety of other human water demands. Alterations in water quantity can have direct impacts on aquatic organisms (e.g., stranding, displacement, disruption of spawning), and can be especially detrimental to organisms with limited mobility. Freshwater mussels are one such group of organisms. Within the United States, ~30% of the U.S.’s 300 freshwater mussel species are listed as threatened or endangered. Mussels are considered to be ecosystem engineers due to their profound impacts on stream quality and function, impacting nutrient dynamics, primary production, and community composition of co-occurring aquatic species. Resource managers in many locations are seeking to minimize dramatic alterations to streamflow to conserve numerous key aquatic species, while still meeting the many water demands of humans.
USGS researchers are working to identify the streamflow characteristics (e.g. depth, flow, temperature) that are most important for sustaining freshwater mussel populations and their host fish. Much of this work has focused on the Federally endangered dwarf wedgemussel, Alasmidonta heterodon, a rare species found in several major waterways along the Atlantic Coast. However, researchers have also been addressing the ecological flow requirements of both at risk and common mussel species given their importance to streams and rivers and an increased interest in conserving and restoring native populations to improve water quality.
Related Articles:
- Live stream of public seminar in Reston on freshwater mussels: https://www.usgs.gov/media/audio/stranger-fiction-secret-lives-freshwater-mussels
- USGS Science Features Top Story, April 4, 2014, The secret lives of mussels: America’s most endangered species! (https://archive.usgs.gov/archive/sites/www.usgs.gov/blogs/features/usgs_top_story/the-secret-lives-of-mussels-americas-most-endangered-species/index.html)
- galbr:
- Galbraith HS, Blakeslee CJ, Lellis WA (2012) Recent thermal history influences thermal tolerance in freshwater mussel species (Bivalvia:Unionoida) Freshwater Science 31:83-92 doi:10.1899/11-025.1. https://pubs.er.usgs.gov/publication/70043978
- Galbraith HS, Blakeslee CJ, Lellis WA (2015) Behavioral responses of freshwater mussels to experimental dewatering Freshwater Science 34:42-52. https://pubs.er.usgs.gov/publication/70159362
- Galbraith HS, Lellis WA, Cole JC, Blakeslee CJ, St. John White B (2016) Population demographics for the federally endangered dwarf wedgemussel Journal of Fish and Wildlife Management 7:377-387 doi:10.3996/112014-jfwm-084. https://pubs.er.usgs.gov/publication/70178662
- Galbraith HS, Blakeslee CJ, Cole JC (2018) Freshwater mussel salvage and relocation at the Pond Eddy Bridge, Delaware River, New York and Pennsylvania. https://pubs.er.usgs.gov/publication/ofr20181009
- Galbraith HS, Blakeslee CJ, Cole JC, Silldorff EL (2018) Freshwater mussel survey for the Columbia Dam removal, Paulins Kill, New Jersey. Reston, VA. doi:10.3133/ofr20181074. https://pubs.er.usgs.gov/publication/ofr20181074
- Cole JC, Townsend PA, Eshleman KN, White BS, Galbraith HS, Lellis WA (2018) Using United States Geological Survey stream gages to predict flow and temperature conditions to maintain freshwater mussel habitat River Research and Applications 34:977-992. https://pubs.er.usgs.gov/publication/70200889
- White BS, Ferreri CP, Lellis WA, Wicklow BJ, Cole JC (2017) Geographic variation in host fish use and larval metamorphosis for the endangered dwarf wedgemussel Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems 27:909-918. https://pubs.er.usgs.gov/publication/70192270
- Maloney KO, Lellis WA, Bennett RM, Waddle TJ (2012) Habitat persistence for sedentary organisms in managed rivers: the case for the federally endangered dwarf wedgemussel (Alasmidonta heterodon) in the Delaware River Freshwater Biology 57:1315-1327 doi:10.1111/j.1365-2427.2012.02788.x. https://pubs.er.usgs.gov/publication/70043559
- Campbell CA, Prestegaard KL (2016) Physical and chemical constraints limit the habitat window for an endangered mussel Hydrobiologia 772:77-91 doi:10.1007/s10750-016-2642-9. https://pubs.er.usgs.gov/publication/70170547
- Campbell CA, Hilderbrand RH (2017) Using maximum entropy to predict suitable habitat for the endangered dwarf wedgemussel in the Maryland Coastal Plain Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems 27:462-475 doi:10.1002/aqc.2699. https://pubs.er.usgs.gov/publication/70185013