Decline and regional extirpation of freshwater mussels (Unionidae) in a small river system invaded by Dreissena polymorpha: the Rideau River, 1993–2000

2001 ◽  
Vol 79 (12) ◽  
pp. 2181-2191 ◽  
Author(s):  
André L. Martel ◽  
Diane A. Pathy ◽  
Jacqueline B. Madill ◽  
Claude B. Renaud ◽  
Stuart L. Dean ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Dreissena Polymorpha ◽  
Freshwater Mussels ◽  
River System ◽  
Small River ◽  
Rideau River

Decline and regional extirpation of freshwater mussels (Unionidae) in a small river system invaded by Dreissena polymorpha: the Rideau River, 1993–2000

2001 ◽  
Vol 79 (12) ◽  
pp. 2181-2191 ◽  
Author(s):  
André L Martel ◽  
Diane A Pathy ◽  
Jacqueline B Madill ◽  
Claude B Renaud ◽  
Stuart L Dean ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Dreissena Polymorpha ◽  
Freshwater Mussels ◽  
Ecological Impact ◽  
Benthic Fauna ◽  
River System ◽  
Small River ◽  
River Systems ◽  
Long Term Study ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Rideau River

Data pertaining to the ecological impact of the exotic zebra mussel, Dreissena polymorpha, on benthic fauna in small river systems are scarce. We conducted a long-term study to assess the impacts of the D. polymorpha invasion in a small river system (100 km) in eastern Ontario during an 8-year period (1993–2000). A 30-km downstream section of the Rideau River was studied before and during rapid population growth of D. polymorpha in the area. During 1993–1995, D. polymorpha abundance on hard substrates increased by four to six orders of magnitude and remained high thereafter. A comparable temporal pattern of D. polymorpha abundance was observed on shells of live freshwater mussels (Unionidae). During peak fouling (1995–1997), mass ratios (mass of attached D. polymorpha / mass of live unionid host) ranged from 0.37 to 1.81. SCUBA-diving surveys (50-m transects) were conducted to examine the impact of D. polymorpha on native unionids in impounded river habitats. In 1993–1994, three unionid taxa were commonly found in 10-m2 quadrats sampled along transects: Elliptio complanata, Pyganodon grandis, and Lampsilis radiata. Overall, the mean density of unionids declined 5- to 8-fold from 1993 to 1997, coinciding with a rapid increase in D. polymorpha densities on unionids. By 1997, i.e., 4 years after fouling began, P. grandis and L. radiata had been extirpated from those sites, with only E. complanata remaining. By 2000, i.e., 7 years after fouling began, all three unionid taxa had been essentially extirpated from the 30-km section of the river, with only one live individual (E. complanata) collected during 10 extensive diving surveys (the total estimated area of riverbed surveyed was 4000 m2). This study indicates that heavy fouling by D. polymorpha causes the extirpation of unionids in small impounded river systems ([Formula: see text]100 km).

Twenty-six years (1990–2015) of monitoring annual recruitment of the invasive zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha) in the Rideau River, a small river system in Eastern Ontario, Canada

2018 ◽  
Vol 96 (10) ◽  
pp. 1071-1079 ◽  
Author(s):  
A.L. Martel ◽  
J.B. Madill
Keyword(s):  
Zebra Mussel ◽  
Dreissena Polymorpha ◽  
River System ◽  
Zebra Mussels ◽  
Small River ◽  
Invasion History ◽  
Lake Effect ◽  
History Of ◽  
Bottom Structures ◽  
Rideau River

We monitored the recruitment of young-of-year zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha (Pallas, 1771)) each autumn at 13 locations within four river reaches along the length (100 km) of the Rideau River, starting in 1990, the year of its discovery in that river, until 2015. Sampling was conducted on bottom structures of locks or on seasonally exposed substrate during autumn drawdowns conducted by Rideau Canal staff. Twenty-six years of monitoring zebra mussels in that river revealed a distinct and persistent upstream–downstream pattern, with highest densities occurring in the two downstream reaches. A “lake effect” was observed at Long Reach, where veligers have ideal conditions for larval development. Highest densities occurred in the mid-1990s, comparable with those reported in the Laurentian Great Lakes during peak invasion (200 000 to 500 000+ mussels/m2). Although the most upstream reaches of the river had low recruitment rates and low densities initially (0.01 to 10 mussels/m2), annual recruitment progressively increased to higher values (10 to 1000+ mussels/m2) because more veligers from the Rideau Lakes and the river headwaters were produced and drifted into the system. This study is unique because it provides a thorough understanding of the 26 years of invasion history of the zebra mussel in a small river system.

scholarly journals Processing of pine (Pinus sylvestris) and birch (Betula pubescens) leaf material in a small river system in the northern Cairngorms, Scotland

2004 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 567-577 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. Collen ◽  
E. J. Keay ◽  
B. R. S. Morrison
Keyword(s):  
Pinus Sylvestris ◽  
Woody Debris ◽  
River System ◽  
Betula Pubescens ◽  
Pine Needles ◽  
Small River ◽  
Leaf Packs ◽  
Leaf Processing ◽  
North Eastern

Abstract. Processing rates, and macroinvertebrate colonisation, of pine needles and birch leaves were studied at eight sites on the river Nethy, a small river system in the Cairngorm region of north-eastern Scotland. Throughout this river system, processing rates were slow for pine (k values 0.0015-0.0034 day-1) and medium to fast for birch (k values 0.0085-0.0331 day-1). Plecopteran shredders dominated both pine and birch leaf packs during the early part of the experiment while chironomids were more important in the latter stages. It is suggested that the slow processing rate of pine needles could adversely affect the productivity of streams, particularly where needles provide the major allochthonous energy source and retentive features are limited. Forest managers should consider this when creating new pinewoods in treeless areas as it will take many years for the trees to reach a size at which they can effectively contribute retentive features, in the form of woody debris, to streams. Keywords: leaf processing, pine needles, shredders, Pinus sylvestris, Betula pubescens, Scotland.

Predicting the identity and impact of future biological invaders: a priority for aquatic resource management

1998 ◽  
Vol 55 (7) ◽  
pp. 1759-1765 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anthony Ricciardi ◽  
Joseph B Rasmussen
Keyword(s):  
Ballast Water ◽  
Dreissena Polymorpha ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Round Goby ◽  
River System ◽  
Neogobius Melanostomus ◽  
Inland Waterways ◽  
Donor Region ◽  
Aquatic Resource ◽  
Biological Invaders

The identification and risk assessment of potential biological invaders would provide valuable criteria for the allocation of resources toward the detection and control of invasion threats. Yet, freshwater biologists have made few attempts at predicting potential invaders, apparently because such efforts are perceived to be costly and futile. We describe some simple, low-cost empirical approaches that would facilitate prediction and demonstrate their use in identifying high-risk species from an important donor region: the Ponto-Caspian (Black, Caspian, and Azov seas) basin. This region is the source of several freshwater organisms already invading North America, including the zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha), quagga mussel (Dreissena bugensis), ruffe (Gymnocephalus cernuus), and round goby (Neogobius melanostomus). Based on a thorough literature review, we identify 17 additional Ponto-Caspian animals that have recent invasion histories and are likely to be transported overseas in ship ballast water; moreover, their broad salinity tolerance could allow them to survive an incomplete ballast-water exchange. These results suggest that, unless current vectors are more effectively controlled, the Great Lakes - St. Lawrence River system and other North American inland waterways will continue to receive and be impacted by invasive Eurasian species.

Lethal and sublethal effects of sponge overgrowth on introduced dreissenid mussels in the Great Lakes – St. Lawrence River system

1995 ◽  
Vol 52 (12) ◽  
pp. 2695-2703 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anthony Ricciardi ◽  
Fred L. Snyder ◽  
David O. Kelch ◽  
Henry M. Reiswig
Keyword(s):  
Great Lakes ◽  
Dreissena Polymorpha ◽  
Sublethal Effects ◽  
Artificial Reef ◽  
River System ◽  
High Rate ◽  
Freshwater Sponges ◽  
Dreissena Bugensis ◽  
Weight Losses ◽  
St Lawrence River

Freshwater sponges in the Great Lakes – St. Lawrence River system overgrow and kill introduced zebra (Dreissena polymorpha) and quagga mussels (Dreissena bugensis) on solid substrates. Sponges overgrow and smother mussel siphons, thereby interfering with normal feeding and respiration. We tested the significance of sponge-enhanced mussel mortality by repeated sampling at several sites where both organisms were abundant in the upper St. Lawrence River and on an artificial reef in central Lake Erie. A small proportion (<10%) of the dreissenid population at each site was overgrown by sponge. Mussel colonies that were completely overgrown for 1 or more months invariably contained a significantly greater proportion of dead mussels than local uncovered populations. Mussels that survived prolonged periods (4–6 months) of overgrowth suffered significant tissue weight losses. Laboratory experiments and field observations suggest that dreissenids are not able to colonize sponges; therefore, sponges should always dominate competitive overgrowth situations. The overall impact of sponges on dreissenid populations in the Great Lakes – St. Lawrence River system will probably be negligible because of the high rate of mussel recruitment and the environmental constraints on sponge growth; however, our results suggest that sponges may control mussel abundance locally.

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