Toxicity of a Traditional Molluscicide to Asian Clam Veligers

2013 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 141-145 ◽  
Author(s):  
Megan Layhee ◽  
Miho Yoshioka ◽  
Bahram Farokhkish ◽  
Jackson A. Gross ◽  
Adam J. Sepulveda

Abstract Aquaculture and hatchery industries are in need of effective control methods to reduce the risk of spreading aquatic invasive species, such as the Asian clam Corbicula fluminea, through aquaculture and hatchery activities. The planktonic nature of Asian clam veligers enables this life stage to enter water-based infrastructure undetected, including hatchery trucks used to stock fish. Once in hatchery trucks, veligers can disperse overland and establish in previously uninvaded habitats. As a result, there is a need to develop techniques that result in veliger mortality but do not harm fish. In September 2012, we conducted laboratory trials to determine if a molluscicide (750 mg/L potassium chloride and 25 mg/L formalin) commonly used to kill zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha) veligers in hatchery trucks can also effectively kill Asian clam veligers. We exposed Asian clam veligers to this molluscicide for 1, 3, and 5 h in each of two water types: deionized water and filtered lake water. We found <20% mortality at the 1-h exposure period and 100% mortality at both the 3-h and 5-h exposure periods, regardless of water type. This laboratory study represents an important step toward reducing the spread of Asian clams by aquaculture facilities.

1994 ◽  
Vol 72 (3) ◽  
pp. 406-417 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. J. Nichols ◽  
M. G. Black

There are presently four freshwater bivalves in the United States that produce larvae or veligers commonly found in the water column: two forms of Asian clams and two species of dreissenids. Portions of the geographic range of three of these bivalves, one species of Asian clam (Corbicula fluminea), zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha), and quagga mussels (Dreissena rosteriformis bugensis), overlap, causing problems with larval identification. To determine which characteristics can be used to separate larval forms, adult Asian clams, quaggas, and zebra mussels were brought into the laboratory and induced to spawn, and the resulting larvae were reared. Hybrids between quaggas and zebra mussels were also produced, but not reared to maturity. Characteristics allowing for the most rapid and accurate separation of larvae were hinge length, shell length/height, shell shape, shell size, and the presence or absence of a foot and velum. These characteristics were observed in laboratory-reared larvae of known parentage and field-caught larvae of unknown parentage. In most cases, larvae of the Asian clam can be readily separated from those produced by either type of dreissenid on the basis of shell size and presence of a foot. Separating the gametes and embryos of the two types of dreissenids is not possible, but after shell formation, most of the larval stages can be distinguished. Hinge length, shell length/height, and the similarity in size of the shell valves can be used to separate straight-hinged, umbonal, pediveliger, and plantigrade larvae. Quagga × zebra mussel hybrids show characteristics of both parents and are difficult to identify.


<em>Abstract.</em>—The St. Lawrence estuarine transition zone (ETZ) harbors the only known concentrations of age-0 and early juveniles of the St. Lawrence Atlantic sturgeon and lake sturgeon populations. Past dredging and disposal operations conducted in the ETZ to deepen the navigation channel resulted in the creation of an extensive sand dune biotope near the juvenile sturgeon concentration areas. In order to characterize the dune biotope within a diversified set of biotopes in the ETZ, nine areas were selected for study, including two areas to cover the sand dune complex. The study objectives were (1) to identify the benthos assemblages of the ETZ and the main physical factors controlling them, (2) to measure the sampling areas’ biological characteristics and feeding potential for sturgeon, and (3) to compare the dune areas’ feeding potential with selected control areas. In 1999–2001, grab sampling was conducted at 141 stations to determine macrobenthos composition and sediment parameters. Depth, slope, and slope orientation were measured from multibeam sonar echosoundings. Salinity, current velocity, and tidal amplitude were provided by a hydrodynamic model of the ETZ. Benthos assemblages were determined using cluster analysis on taxon biomass. Four major assemblages were identified, all having Tubificidae as the dominant or subdominant taxon: zebra mussel <em>Dreissena polymorpha</em>, <em>Gammarus tigrinus</em>, Tubificidae, and <em>Capitella</em> sp. assemblages. A succession of the major assemblages was observed from the freshwater front to the upper mesohaline waters. Three minor assemblages, the Chironomidae, Physidae, and Cumacea, were concentrated in the upper oligohaline zone. Taxonomic richness was highest in areas with the lowest maximum salinity (0.0–0.5), and diversity was highest in areas with intermediate maximum salinities (0.5–2.0). The largest biomass values were found in areas with maximum salinities less than 0.5, in the zebra mussel assemblage. Controls and dune areas had similar macrobenthos richness and diversity, but dune areas had significantly lower densities and biomasses. Feeding potential for a given sturgeon life stage was measured as the sum of taxa biomasses standardized using the prey proportions in that life stage’s feeding regime. For age-0 Atlantic sturgeon and for all lake sturgeon life stages, all of which feed mostly on gammarids, the feeding potential of control and dune areas were not significantly different. For juvenile and subadult Atlantic sturgeon, which feed mostly on tubificids, the dune areas had a significantly lower feeding potential than the control areas. The lower feeding potential of the sand dune areas created by dredged sediment deposition is considered an important issue for the management of the St. Lawrence Atlantic sturgeon population.


1995 ◽  
Vol 52 (5) ◽  
pp. 1130-1134 ◽  
Author(s):  
Barry S. Payne ◽  
Andrew C. Miller ◽  
Erica D. Hubertz ◽  
Jin Lei

Significant interpopulation differences occur in palp to gill area ratios of two nonindigenous species of freshwater bivalves in North America, Dreissena polymorpha and Corbicula fluminea. Larger palps (both species) and smaller gills (C. fluminea) occur in individuals from habitats characterized by a relatively high suspended solids concentration. The extremely brief evolutionary history of both species in North America is strong evidence that these differences in palp to gill area ratios are ecophenotypic.


1998 ◽  
Vol 55 (7) ◽  
pp. 1564-1572 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul D Johnson ◽  
Robert F McMahon

We examined the effects of four levels of chronic hypoxic stress at three temperatures on the survivorship of Dreissena polymorpha and Corbicula fluminea to assess the efficacy of O2 deprivation as a macrofouling control treatment and examine if critical hypoxia limits support reported distribution patterns. At 25°C, the hypoxia tolerance was examined at Po2 = 7.9, 11.9, 15.9, 23.8, and 31.8 Torr (1 Torr = 133.322 Pa) or 5, 7.5, 10, 15, and 20% of full air O2 saturation (Po2 = 159 Torr). At 15°C, the hypoxia tolerance to 7.9, 11.9, and 15.9 Torr was tested and at 7.9 Torr for 5°C treatments. For both species, Po2 and temperature influenced survivorship dramatically with increasing survivorship at higher Po2 and decreasing temperatures. At 25°C, C. fluminea experienced mortality at 7.9, 11.9, and 15.9 Torr, with LT50 values of 144, 216, and 216 h, respectively, versus 288, 384, and 480 h for the 15°C exposures. Dreissena polymorpha treatments had LT50 values of 120, 216, and 216 h at 25°C for the 7.9-, 11.9-, and 15.9-Torr treatments versus 26% mortality after 600 h and 28% mortality after 720 h at 15°C. The 7.9-Torr treatments at 5°C had LT50 values of 480 h for C. fluminea and 1056 h for D. polymorpha. This study showed that both species displayed broad seasonal variation in hypoxia tolerance and that hypoxia limits may be used to assess infestation risk.


2020 ◽  
Vol 66 (4) ◽  
pp. 654-663
Author(s):  
Neil E. Coughlan ◽  
Eoghan M. Cunningham ◽  
Stephen Potts ◽  
Diarmuid McSweeney ◽  
Emma Healey ◽  
...  

Abstract Control strategies for established populations of invasive alien species can be costly and complex endeavours, which are frequently unsuccessful. Therefore, rapid-reaction techniques that are capable of maximising efficacy whilst minimising environmental damage are urgently required. The Asian clam (Corbicula fluminea Müller, 1774), and the zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha Pallas, 1771), are invaders capable of adversely affecting the functioning and biodiversity of freshwater ecosystems. Despite efforts to implement substantial population-control measures, both species continue to spread and persist within freshwater environments. As bivalve beds often become exposed during low-water conditions, this study examined the efficacy of steam-spray (≥100 °C, 350 kPa) and open-flame burn treatments (~1000 °C) to kill exposed individuals. Direct steam exposure lasting for 5 min caused 100% mortality of C. fluminea buried at a depth of 3 cm. Further, combined rake and thermal shock treatments, whereby the substrate is disturbed between each application of either a steam or open flame, caused 100% mortality of C. fluminea specimens residing within a 4-cm deep substrate patch, following three consecutive treatment applications. However, deeper 8-cm patches and water-saturated substrate reduced maximum bivalve species mortality rates to 77% and 70%, respectively. Finally, 100% of D. polymorpha specimens were killed following exposure to steam and open-flame treatments lasting for 30 s and 5 s, respectively. Overall, our results confirm the efficacy of thermal shock treatments as a potential tool for substantial control of low-water-exposed bivalves. Although promising, our results require validation through upscaling to field application, with consideration of other substrate types, increased substrate depth, greater bivalve densities, non-target and long-term treatment effects.


2007 ◽  
Vol 274 (1625) ◽  
pp. 2603-2609 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brian Leung ◽  
Nicholas E Mandrak

Invasive species are increasingly becoming a policy priority. This has spurred researchers and managers to try to estimate the risk of invasion. Conceptually, invasions are dependent both on the receiving environment (invasibility) and on the ability to reach these new areas (propagule pressure). However, analyses of risk typically examine only one or the other. Here, we develop and apply a joint model of invasion risk that simultaneously incorporates invasibility and propagule pressure. We present arguments that the behaviour of these two elements of risk differs substantially—propagule pressure is a function of time, whereas invasibility is not—and therefore have different management implications. Further, we use the well-studied zebra mussel ( Dreissena polymorpha ) to contrast predictions made using the joint model to those made by separate invasibility and propagule pressure models. We show that predictions of invasion progress as well as of the long-term invasion pattern are strongly affected by using a joint model.


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