VARIATION IN THERMAL TOLERANCE AMONG THREE MISSISSIPPI RIVER POPULATIONS OF THE ZEBRA MUSSEL, DREISSENA POLYMORPHA

Zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha) have altered the structure of invaded ecosystems and exhibit characteristics that suggest they may influence ecosystem processes such as nitrogen (N) cycling. We measured denitrification rates seasonally on sediments underlying zebra mussel beds collected from the impounded zone of Navigation Pool 8 of the Upper Mississippi River. Denitrification assays were amended with nutrients to characterize variation in nutrient limitation of denitrification in the presence or absence of zebra mussels. Denitrification rates at zebra mussel sites were high relative to sites without zebra mussels in February 2004 (repeated measures analysis of variance (RM ANOVA), p = 0.005), potentially because of high NO3-N variability from nitrification of high NH4+ zebra mussel waste. Denitrification rates were highest in June 2003 (RM ANOVA, p < 0.001), corresponding with the highest NO3-N concentrations during the study (linear regression, R2 = 0.72, p < 0.001). Denitrification was always N-limited, but sites without zebra mussels showed the strongest response to N amendments relative to sites with zebra mussels (two-way ANOVA, p ≤ 0.01). Examining how zebra mussels influence denitrification rates will aid in developing a more complete understanding of the impact of zebra mussels and more effective management strategies of eutrophic waters.

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The Genome of the Zebra Mussel, Dreissena polymorpha: A Resource for Invasive Species Research

10.1101/696732 ◽

2019 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Michael A. McCartney ◽

Benjamin Auch ◽

Thomas Kono ◽

Sophie Mallez ◽

Ying Zhang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Invasive Species ◽

Thermal Tolerance ◽

Aquatic Ecosystems ◽

Zebra Mussel ◽

Dreissena Polymorpha ◽

Tandem Repeats ◽

Zebra Mussels ◽

Long Read ◽

Transmissible Cancer ◽

And Control

AbstractThe zebra mussel, Dreissena polymorpha, continues to spread from its native range in Eurasia to Europe and North America, causing billions of dollars in damage and dramatically altering invaded aquatic ecosystems. Despite these impacts, there are few genomic resources for Dreissena or related bivalves, with nearly 450 million years of divergence between zebra mussels and its closest sequenced relative. Although the D. polymorpha genome is highly repetitive, we have used a combination of long-read sequencing and Hi-C-based scaffolding to generate the highest quality molluscan assembly to date. Through comparative analysis and transcriptomics experiments we have gained insights into processes that likely control the invasive success of zebra mussels, including shell formation, synthesis of byssal threads, and thermal tolerance. We identified multiple intact Steamer-Like Elements, a retrotransposon that has been linked to transmissible cancer in marine clams. We also found that D. polymorpha have an unusual 67 kb mitochondrial genome containing numerous tandem repeats, making it the largest observed in Eumetazoa. Together these findings create a rich resource for invasive species research and control efforts.

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The Genome of the Zebra Mussel, Dreissena polymorpha: A Resource for Comparative Genomics, Invasion Genetics, and Biocontrol

G3 Genes|Genome|Genetics ◽

10.1093/g3journal/jkab423 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Michael A McCartney ◽

Benjamin Auch ◽

Thomas Kono ◽

Sophie Mallez ◽

Ying Zhang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Thermal Tolerance ◽

Aquatic Ecosystems ◽

Zebra Mussel ◽

Dreissena Polymorpha ◽

Tandem Repeats ◽

Shell Formation ◽

Invasion Genetics ◽

Long Read ◽

Transmissible Cancer ◽

And Control

Abstract The zebra mussel, Dreissena polymorpha, continues to spread from its native range in Eurasia to Europe and North America, causing billions of dollars in damage and dramatically altering invaded aquatic ecosystems. Despite these impacts, there are few genomic resources for Dreissena or related bivalves. Although the D. polymorpha genome is highly repetitive, we have used a combination of long-read sequencing and Hi-C-based scaffolding to generate a high-quality chromosome-scale genome assembly. Through comparative analysis and transcriptomics experiments we have gained insights into processes that likely control the invasive success of zebra mussels, including shell formation, synthesis of byssal threads, and thermal tolerance. We identified multiple intact Steamer-Like Elements, a retrotransposon that has been linked to transmissible cancer in marine clams. We also found that D. polymorpha have an unusual 67 kb mitochondrial genome containing numerous tandem repeats, making it the largest observed in Eumetazoa. Together these findings create a rich resource for invasive species research and control efforts.

Download Full-text