Deepwater population structure and reproductive state of quagga mussels (Dreissena bugensis) in Lake Erie

1997 ◽  
Vol 54 (10) ◽  
pp. 2428-2433 ◽  
Author(s):  
S L Roe ◽  
H J MacIsaac
Keyword(s):  
Population Structure ◽  
Dreissena Polymorpha ◽  
Lake Erie ◽  
Soft Tissues ◽  
Gonadal Development ◽  
Zebra Mussels ◽  
Reproductive State ◽  
Dreissena Bugensis ◽  
Frequency Distributions ◽  
Quagga Mussels

Quagga mussel (Dreissena bugensis) population structure and reproductive status were assessed at deepwater (37 and 55 m) sites in eastern Lake Erie during July 1996. Mussels occupied ~70% of soft substrates at 37-m sites and between 63 and 90% at 55-m sites. Shell length and dry mass frequency distributions were similar at both sites, although recruits <<= 5 mm comprised a larger proportion of the population at the deeper site. The population surveyed here allocated disproportionately less mass to shell and more to soft tissues relative to zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha) from shallow-water sites in eastern Lake Erie and from Lake St. Clair. The population at 55 m was slightly skewed toward male mussels (58%). Female mussels that were examined for reproductive state contained mature oocytes (80%) or had spent gonads (20%). Because water temperature at the site was only 4.8°C, this survey provides the first evidence of gonadal development and spawning by quagga mussels at low temperature. These findings contrast with most reports of spawning by congeneric zebra mussels at temperatures >=>12°C but are consistent with distributions of the species in different basins of the lake.

Physiological energetics of Lake Erie dreissenid mussels: a basis for the displacement of Dreissena polymorpha by Dreissena bugensis

2003 ◽  
Vol 60 (2) ◽  
pp. 126-134 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ann Stoeckmann
Keyword(s):  
Body Mass ◽  
Dreissena Polymorpha ◽  
Lake Erie ◽  
Shell Growth ◽  
Zebra Mussels ◽  
Sympatric Populations ◽  
Dreissena Bugensis ◽  
Quagga Mussels ◽  
Respiration Rates ◽  
Western Lake

I measured respiration, shell growth, body mass, and reproduction in sympatric populations of zebra (Dreissena polymorpha) and quagga (Dreissena bugensis) mussels in western Lake Erie to determine if the species differ in physiological parameters and if any differences provide an explanation for the recent displacement of zebra mussels by quagga mussels. Between May and August, I measured respiration (1998), shell growth of marked mussels suspended in cages in the lake (1999–2000), soft body mass and mass of gametes released (1998–2001), and the number of gametes released by individual mussels (1999). Quagga mussels had lower respiration rates and greater shell growth and body mass. There was no difference in the percentage of spawning mussels or the number of sperm released by individuals, but zebra mussels generally released more eggs and a greater mass of gametes than did quagga mussels. Similar reproduction at a lower body mass indicates that zebra mussels devote a greater proportion of body tissue to reproduction. Lower respiration rates and larger size give quagga mussels a competitive advantage and may explain their displacement of zebra mussels.

scholarly journals The impact of dreissenid mussels on growth of the fragile papershell (Leptodea fragilis), the most abundant unionid species in Lake Erie

2015 ◽  
Vol 93 (2) ◽  
pp. 143-148 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert A. Krebs ◽  
Elizabeth M. Barkett ◽  
Matthew T. Begley
Keyword(s):  
Dreissena Polymorpha ◽  
Lake Erie ◽  
Freshwater Mussel ◽  
Species Competition ◽  
Western Basin ◽  
Dreissena Bugensis ◽  
Byssal Thread ◽  
Quagga Mussels ◽  
Dreissenid Mussels ◽  
The Impact

The arrival of zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha (Pallas, 1771)) and subsequently quagga mussels (Dreissena bugensis Andrusov, 1897) (Dreissenidae) in the Great Lakes in the 1980s induced many changes, most notably the devastation of native freshwater mussel species. Recently, empty shells of the fragile papershell (Leptodea fragilis (Rafinesque, 1820)) have become common, particularly in the western basin of Lake Erie, suggesting that this fast-growing species may be increasing in numbers in the lake. To examine continued competition with dreissenids, shell age and length of L. fragilis were used to contrast lifespan and growth rate, estimated as the slope of age on shell length, for shells from two beach localities where byssal threads were present on most shells and two sites where dreissenids were rare or absent. Few recent shells from Lake Erie beaches exceeded 5 years of age, and byssal thread counts were more numerous on older shells. Growth and lifespan were estimated to be significantly lower where dreissenid mussels remained numerous than when measured either from historic collections along Lake Erie or from protected populations. Therefore, even for this early-reproducing species, competition from dreissenids may continue to interfere with growth and shorten lifespan, which are effects few other unionid species can likely tolerate sufficiently to sustain population growth.

Sources of bias in the use of shell fragments to estimate the size of zebra and quagga mussels (Dreissena polymorpha and Dreissena bugensis)

1999 ◽  
Vol 77 (6) ◽  
pp. 910-916 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeremy S Mitchell ◽  
Robert C Bailey ◽  
Richard W Knapton
Keyword(s):  
Shell Length ◽  
Dreissena Polymorpha ◽  
Zebra Mussels ◽  
Shell Morphology ◽  
Selective Predation ◽  
Dreissena Bugensis ◽  
Quagga Mussels ◽  
Length Relationship ◽  
Mussel Shells ◽  
Study Sites

Several researchers have examined size-selective predation on dreissenid mussels by first measuring septa from crushed mussel shells found in predators' gastrointestinal tracts and then using a regression of septum length on shell length to infer the size of consumed mussels. We examine three assumptions made when using this approach: (1) that the shell length : septum length relationship is site-independent within the study area, (2) where both zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha) and quagga mussels (Dreissena bugensis) are present, that the shell length : septum length relationship is the same for both mussel species, and (3) that the predator foraged exclusively at the site of collection. We collected mussels at 6 sites along an 8-km stretch of Lake Erie shoreline and found that the shell length : septum length relationship varied significantly both among sites and between zebra mussels and quagga mussels. We then compared the regression for quagga mussels at one of these sites with that for intact valves of mussels taken from scaup (Aythya marila, Aythya affinis) collected at the site. Although ice cover at the time of collection restricted scaup to the site while foraging within the study area, regressions were again significantly different, i.e., scaup had been foraging elsewhere. Our results indicate that for at least some study sites, the use of septa to estimate dreissenid mussel size is not appropriate. However, when intact valves are found in a predator, variation in shell morphology can help to confirm or exclude possible foraging locales.

Comparative growth and feeding in zebra and quagga mussels (Dreissena polymorpha and Dreissena bugensis): implications for North American lakes

2002 ◽  
Vol 59 (4) ◽  
pp. 680-694 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brad S Baldwin ◽  
Marilyn S Mayer ◽  
Jeffrey Dayton ◽  
Nancy Pau ◽  
Johanna Mendilla ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Dreissena Polymorpha ◽  
Assimilation Efficiency ◽  
Zebra Mussels ◽  
Functional Responses ◽  
Dreissena Bugensis ◽  
Chl A ◽  
Quagga Mussels ◽  
High Productivity ◽  
Per Capita ◽  
Lower Biomass

In laboratory experiments, quagga mussels (Dreissena bugensis) survived as well as zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha) and equaled or exceeded their growth rate (–3 to 242% change in wet mass) when reared at 6 or 23°C and fed natural seston or Chlamydomonas at food levels ranging from 0.05–7.4 µg·L–1 chlorophyll a (chl a). Superior growth of quagga mussels was most pronounced at low food levels. We found no significant differences in per capita clearance rates (CR), functional responses, or feeding behavior between zebra and quagga mussels fed Chlamydomonas, Nannochloris, or mixed suspensions of Nannochloris and clay. Per capita CR ranged from 0.018 to 0.402 L·mussel–1·h–1 for zebra mussels and from 0.010 to 0.407 L·mussel–1·h–1 for quagga mussels. Because quagga mussels had more biomass per unit shell length, we found lower biomass-specific CR for quagga mussels. When fed natural seston, zebra and quagga mussels could selectively reject inorganic material and at the lowest seston level the assimilation efficiency of quagga mussels (81%) was significantly higher than that of zebra mussels (63%). Our experiments suggest that quagga mussels can survive, grow, and feed as well or better than zebra mussels in epilimnetic waters with either low or high productivity.

Pumping Rates and Projected Filtering Impacts of Juvenile Zebra Mussels (Dreissena polymorpha) in Western Lake Erie

1993 ◽  
Vol 50 (5) ◽  
pp. 1017-1022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher M. Bunt ◽  
Hugh J. Maclsaac ◽  
W. Gary Sprules
Keyword(s):  
Shell Length ◽  
Zebra Mussel ◽  
Dreissena Polymorpha ◽  
Lake Erie ◽  
Zebra Mussels ◽  
Pumping Rate ◽  
Frequency Distributions ◽  
Western Lake ◽  
Pumping Rates ◽  
Western Lake Erie

Small-bodied (2–11 mm), settled zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha Pallas) comprise up to 90% of individuals inhabiting reefs in western Lake Erie. We assessed pumping rates of these size classes of D. polymorpha by injecting an inert dye into inhalant filtering currents and monitoring exhalant flows using high-resolution videography. Pumping rates ranged between 0.20 and 4.45 mL∙ind−1∙h−1 and increased in relation to mussel shell length. Based on 1990 size–frequency distributions for reefs in western Lake Erie and our pumping rate – shell length regression, small settled D. polymorpha were theoretically capable of pumping between 39 and 96% of the water column daily. Small-bodied mussels inhabiting Sunken Chicken Reef were collectively capable of processing between 110 and 400% of the values previously reported for Daphnia. Recent changes in water quality in western Lake Erie could be primarily related to zebra mussel filtering activities, including those of small-bodied individuals.

Zebra Mussels as Biomonitors for Organic Contaminants in the Lower Great Lakes

1996 ◽  
Vol 31 (2) ◽  
pp. 411-432 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael E. Comba ◽  
Janice L. Metcalfe-Smith ◽  
Klaus L.E. Kaiser
Keyword(s):  
Great Lakes ◽  
Organic Contaminants ◽  
Lake Erie ◽  
Soft Tissues ◽  
Lake Ontario ◽  
Dry Weight ◽  
Zebra Mussels ◽  
Organic Contamination ◽  
Contamination Levels ◽  
St Lawrence River

Abstract Zebra mussels were collected from 24 sites in Lake Erie, Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River between 1990 and 1992. Composite samples of whole mussels (15 sites) or soft tissues (9 sites) were analyzed for residues of organochlo-rine pesticides and PCBs to evaluate zebra mussels as biomonitors for organic contaminants. Mussels from most sites contained measurable quantities of most of the analytes. Mean concentrations were (in ng/g, whole mussel dry weight basis) 154 ΣPCB, 8.4 ΣDDT, 3.5 Σchlordane, 3.4 Σaldrin, 1.4 ΣBHC, 1.0 Σendosulfan, 0.80 mirex and 0.40 Σchlorobenzene. Concentrations varied greatly between sites, i.e., from 22 to 497 ng/g for ΣPCB and from 0.08 to 11.6 ng/g for ΣBHC, an indication that mussels are sensitive to different levels of contamination. Levels of ΣPCB and Σendosulfan were highest in mussels from the St. Lawrence River, whereas mirex was highest in those from Lake Ontario. Overall, mussels from Lake Erie were the least contaminated. These observations agree well with the spatial contaminant trends shown by other biomoni-toring programs. PCB congener class profiles in zebra mussels are also typical for nearby industrial sources, e.g., mussels below an aluminum casting plant contained 55% di-, tri- and tetrachlorobiphenyls versus 31% in those upstream. We propose the use of zebra mussels as biomonitors of organic contamination in the Great Lakes.

Projected Changes to the Trophodynamics of PCBs in the Western Lake Erie Ecosystem Attributed to the Presence of Zebra Mussels (Dreissena polymorpha)

1998 ◽  
Vol 32 (24) ◽  
pp. 3862-3867 ◽  
Author(s):  
Heather A. Morrison ◽  
Frank A. P. C. Gobas ◽  
Rodica Lazar ◽  
D. Michael Whittle ◽  
G. Douglas Haffner
Keyword(s):  
Dreissena Polymorpha ◽  
Lake Erie ◽  
Zebra Mussels ◽  
Western Lake ◽  
Projected Changes ◽  
Western Lake Erie

scholarly journals Zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha) selective filtration promoted toxic Microcystis blooms in Saginaw Bay (Lake Huron) and Lake Erie

2001 ◽  
Vol 58 (6) ◽  
pp. 1208-1221 ◽  
Author(s):  
Henry A Vanderploeg ◽  
James R Liebig ◽  
Wayne W Carmichael ◽  
Megan A Agy ◽  
Thomas H Johengen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Zebra Mussel ◽  
Dreissena Polymorpha ◽  
Lake Erie ◽  
Laboratory Strain ◽  
Zebra Mussels ◽  
Lake Huron ◽  
Feeding Rates ◽  
Saginaw Bay ◽  
Western Lake ◽  
Filtering Rates

Microcystis aeruginosa, a planktonic colonial cyanobacterium, was not abundant in the 2-year period before zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha) establishment in Saginaw Bay (Lake Huron) but became abundant in three of five summers subsequent of mussel establishment. Using novel methods, we determined clearance, capture, and assimilation rates for zebra mussels feeding on natural and laboratory M. aeruginosa strains offered alone or in combination with other algae. Results were consistent with the hypothesis that zebra mussels promoted blooms of toxic M. aeruginosa in Saginaw Bay, western Lake Erie, and other lakes through selective rejection in pseudofeces. Mussels exhibited high feeding rates similar to those seen for a highly desirable food alga (Cryptomonas) with both large ( >53 µm) and small (<53 µm) colonies of a nontoxic and a toxic laboratory strain of M. aeruginosa known to cause blockage of feeding in zooplankton. In experiments with naturally occurring toxic M. aeruginosa from Saginaw Bay and Lake Erie and a toxic isolate from Lake Erie, mussels exhibited lowered or normal filtering rates with rejection of M. aeruginosa in pseudofeces. Selective rejection depended on "unpalatable" toxic strains of M. aeruginosa occurring as large colonies that could be rejected efficiently while small desirable algae were ingested.

A method for reconstruction of zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha) length from shell fragments

1992 ◽  
Vol 70 (12) ◽  
pp. 2486-2490 ◽  
Author(s):  
Diana J. Hamilton
Keyword(s):  
Zebra Mussel ◽  
Dreissena Polymorpha ◽  
Lake Erie ◽  
Strong Relationship ◽  
Zebra Mussels ◽  
Selective Predation ◽  
Diving Ducks ◽  
Point Pelee ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Shell Fragments

Zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha) are subject to size-selective predation by several species of diving ducks and fish in Europe and North America. Ingested mussels are crushed, but the internal septum in the umbonal region of the mussel usually remains intact. Using mussels collected at Point Pelee, Lake Erie, I showed that there is a strong relationship between the length of the septum and of the mussel (r2 = 0.96). I compared this with a similar relationship developed for European zebra mussels and tested both models on mussels collected from Point Pelee and from Stoney Point, Lake St. Clair. Septal length relative to mussel length was greatest at Stoney Point and least at Point Pelee. The European estimates fell between the two. I concluded that to obtain accurate estimates of mussel length when investigating size-selective predation on zebra mussels, the relationship between mussel and septal lengths should be determined at each study location.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document