Mussels

Due to the rapid decline in abundance of Yellow Lampmussel ( Lampsilis cariosa) and Tidewater Mucket ( Atlanticoncha ochracea), USGS and partners at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and Central Michigan University (CMU) are conducting an assessment of genetic diversity and population structure to inform appropriate recommendations for conservation and management of each species. These...

USGS is conducting research to better understand biology, behavior, and survival of juvenile fishes that travel between fresh and saltwater to complete their lifecycles. Migratory fishes as such as herring and shad are vital components in riverine and coastal ecosystems, transporting food and nutrients between fresh rivers and the ocean. They are also an important forage fish for predators in...

USGS is working with federal, state and local partners to develop multiple assessments of stream and river conditions in non-tidal areas of the Chesapeake Bay watershed. These assessments will help managers preserve stream health and improve biological conditions in impaired streams as the human population and climate continue to change in this region.

Dwarf wedgemussel is a federally endangered freshwater mussel with a historic range spanning the Atlantic coast. However, populations have dramatically declines over the last 30 years. Therefore, knowledge of current population distribution and abundance is critical to resource managers in order to monitor the species over time and to guide recovery actions. Manual survey efforts (snorkel or scuba...