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Title:	Effects of zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha) at essential habitats for Lampsilis higginsi in the upper Mississippi River system, 2000
Authors:	Miller, Andrew C. Payne, Barry S.
Keywords:	Mississippi River Zebra mussel--Habitat Freshwater mussels--Ecology
Publisher:	Aquatic Ecology Branch (U.S.) Environmental Laboratory (U.S.) Engineer Research and Development Center (U.S.)
Abstract:	Abstract: Divers equipped with surface-supplied air collected bivalves using quantitative and qualitative sampling methods at 11 locations in the upper Mississippi River (UMR) between River Miles (RM) 709 and 407, and one location in the St. Croix River, Wisconsin, in July - August 2000. A total of 31 species and 5,511 freshwater mussels was collected at the 12 locations. The highest species richness (24) was from a mussel bed near RM 709 (Pool 7) and the lowest species richness ( 10) was from 2 locations: the East Channel of the UMR near RM 635 (Pool 10) and a mussel bed near RM 505 (Pool 14). Amblema plicata composed almost 42 percent of the fauna and Obliquaria rejlexa was second in abundance and composed 13.3 percent of the fauna. Using quantitative methods a total of 26 species and 1,330 individuals was collected at 12 locations. The fauna was dominated by a non-unionid, the Asian clam ( C. fluminea), which composed 26.3 percent of the fauna. Over the past 20 years this species has become increasingly common in the UMR; in the early 1980s it represented less than 0.1 % of the quantitative collection. Mean density of zebra mussels ranged from less than l/m2 at the mouth of the St. Croix River to more than 16,000/m2 in the west channel of Pool 10 near Prairie du Chien, WI. At 3 essential habitats (RM 661 (Pool 9), RM 618 (Pool 10), and RM 485 (Pool 15)) zebra mussel densities have changed little since 1995 and the native fauna appeared virtually unaffected. The high density zebra mussel infestations at 3 locations in Pool 10 and 1 location in Pool 14 have severely impacted unionid density, species richness, and recent recruitment. However, mussel beds located in Pools 7, 9, 13, 15, 17, 19, and the lower part of Pool 10 (near Guttenburg, IA) have not been severely infested by zebra mussels. River reaches most susceptible to high zebra mussel densities were lacustrine; those less susceptible were more riverine. In 2000 evidence of native mussel recruitment was found at the bed in Pool 14, it is possible that the fauna at this site is recovering from high density populations of zebra mussels. Although L. higginsi has been negatively affected at some of beds in the UMR, it does not appear to be any more susceptible to high density zebra mussel infestations than other species with moderately thick shells.
Description:	Report
Rights:	Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.
URI:	http://hdl.handle.net/11681/22552
Appears in Collections:	Technical Report