Brook floater mussel

A brook floater filter feeding as it is anchored into the sediment of a stream bottom. Habitat loss is a long-recognized problem for many endangered species, and the brook floater is no exception. In-stream alterations that change flow and alter sediment loads can affect downstream locations where freshwater mussels live. Further, human encroachment from development, run-off of toxins into streams, and point source pollution can all contribute to loss of brook floater. And, since freshwater mussels require a fish host to reproduce, challenges facing fish can negatively influence freshwater mussels like brook floater.