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  • 1. The feasibility of using River Habitat Survey (RHS) data to describe freshwater pearl mussel (Margaritifera margaritifera) macrohabitat in the River Spey, north‐east Scotland, was investigated.
  • 2. Mussels were found to be positively associated with a number of RHS variables. These included: boulder/cobble river bed substrates, broken/unbroken standing waves (channel flow types), aquatic liverworts/mosses/lichens and broadleaf/mixed woodland/bankside tree cover. Negative associations with gravel‐pebble/silt substrates and emergent reeds/sedges/herbs were also found.
  • 3. Two binary logistic regression models, based on seven and four variables, respectively, were constructed in order to predict the presence/absence of mussels at any given site. Predictive success rates of 83% and 78% were achieved.
  • 4. Another binary logistic regression model, based on four variables, was constructed in order to predict the occurrence of ‘optimal’ M. margaritifera habitat (overall mussel densities ≥ 1 m?2). A predictive success rate of 83% was achieved.
  • 5. The results indicate two potentially important applications of RHS for the conservation management of M. margaritifera: (1) for monitoring the effects of physical changes on extant mussel beds (and predicting their effects on mussel populations), and (2) for determining the habitat suitability of historically occupied sites for re‐introductions.
Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.  相似文献   

3.
  1. Freshwater pearl mussels (family Margaritiferidae) are sensitive to human impact and environmental changes. Large declines in their abundance have prompted studies of distribution and estimations of population densities.
  2. Iturup Island, a part of Kuril Islands, Russia, is considered to be within the distribution area of freshwater pearl mussels, but this information is based on only two specimens collected several decades ago. Detailed survey of the island is challenging as most of its territory is nearly impassable.
  3. A preliminary analysis of island rivers was carried out prior to the surveys to discover potential freshwater pearl mussel habitats. Based on previous experience from European Russia, freshwater pearl mussel habitat was expected to occur in rivers flowing out of lowland lakes.
  4. Live individuals of Margaritifera laevis were found during surveys in one river together with the unionid Beringiana beringiana, which were also found in two other rivers where the predicted habitat occurred. Based on prediction and surveys, the occurrence of freshwater pearl mussels in other rivers of Iturup Island is unlikely.
  5. Pearl mussels were concentrated in a small section of the Zmeika River with a population of about 100,000 mussels. Present threats to the population include overharvest of host fish masou salmon (Oncorhynchus masou).
  6. Surveys using similar methods can help to reveal unknown freshwater mussel populations on other Kuril Islands and on the mainland.
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  • 1. Indicator taxa are widely used as a valuable tool in the assessment of freshwater biodiversity. However, this approach to identifying sites of conservation priority requires surveyors to possess expert taxonomic knowledge. Furthermore, sorting and microscopic examination of material can present logistical and financial constraints.
  • 2. Comparisons were made between the taxon richness and the density of freshwater mussels (Bivalvia: Unionidae) from 30 sites in seven UK lowland rivers, ranging from ca 3 m to 50 m width and ca 0.5 m to 4 m depth. Where mussels occurred, taxon richness of other invertebrates was strongly correlated with both mussel density and mussel biomass. Overall mussel density was a better predictor of taxon richness than the density of any individual mussel species.
  • 3. It is suggested that this association arises from the ‘keystone’ role that mussels play in many freshwater ecosystems. Local biota can benefit from the mussels' filtration, excretion, biodeposition and physical presence.
  • 4. Using mussel abundance as a surrogate provides a rapid and straightforward alternative to conventional methods of assessing freshwater biodiversity. No expert knowledge is required and any standardized sampling technique can be used. Freshwater mussels are found throughout the world's lentic and lotic fresh waters and this approach therefore has the potential for widespread utility, especially where rapid comparisons of biodiversity are required between biogeographically similar regions. In addition, the results highlight the ecosystem‐level consequences of allowing the global decline of freshwater mussels to remain unchecked.
Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.  相似文献   

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  • 1. Hyridella glenelgensis is a small freshwater mussel that occurs in the Glenelg–Wannon river system in south‐western Victoria and is listed as ‘threatened’ under the state Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988. The species has rarely been reported since its discovery in 1898, and there are no records from the late 1920s until 1990, and again in 2000, when small numbers were found in the Crawford River, a Glenelg tributary.
  • 2. This investigation established that a population still persists in the lower reaches of the Crawford. The mussels prefer sandy sediment in flowing reaches where there is instream woody debris and overhanging vegetation. In these areas, the main threats are land clearance and stock access to the channel and riparian areas.
  • 3. The shell morphology of H. glenelgensis and specimens presumed to be H. narracanensis from Eight Mile Creek, south‐eastern South Australia, is distinct. Similar distinctions are apparent for shells from historical museum collections.
  • 4. Mitochondrial DNA analysis of very small samples of mussels from the Crawford River and Eight Mile Creek indicates little genetic divergence, suggesting that these could be ecophenotypic variants of one species, which by priority would be H. glenelgensis. Scanning electron microscopy of glochidia indicates morphology typical of the genus.
  • 5. Future investigations could include genetic analyses to confirm the taxonomic identity of the populations described here, surveys to locate new populations and measures to protect known habitats.
Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.  相似文献   

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  1. The freshwater mussel (Unionida) fauna of the Yangtze River is among the most diverse on Earth. In recent decades, human activities have caused habitat degradation in the river, and previous studies estimated that up to 80% of the mussel species in the Yangtze River are Threatened or Near Threatened with extinction. However, a comprehensive and systematic evaluation of the conservation status of this fauna has yet to be completed.
  2. This study evaluated the conservation status of the 69 recognized freshwater mussel species in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, using the criteria published by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). A new method for prioritizing species for conservation was then developed and applied termed Quantitative Assessment of Species for Conservation Prioritization (QASCP), which prioritizes species according to quantifiable data on their distribution and population status, life history, and recovery importance and potential.
  3. IUCN assessments showed that 35 (51%) species in the study region are Threatened or Near Threatened (11 Endangered, 20 Vulnerable, 4 Near Threatened). In addition, 16 species (23%) could not be assessed owing to data deficiency. Key threats to the freshwater mussel biodiversity of the Yangtze River include pollution, habitat loss and fragmentation, loss of access to host fish, and overharvesting of mussels and their host fish. The genera Aculamprotula, Gibbosula, Lamprotula, Pseudodon, Ptychorhynchus, and Solenaia were identified as particularly threatened.
  4. Data availability allowed QASCP assessment of 44 species. Only Solenaia carinata, regionally Endangered under IUCN criteria, achieved the highest QASCP rank, i.e. First Priority. The five species assessed as Second Priority were considered either regionally Endangered (one), Vulnerable (three), or Data Deficient (one) under IUCN criteria. The 23 Third Priority species were assessed as regionally Endangered (two), Vulnerable (15), Near Threatened (two), or Least Concern (four).
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  • 1. The complex life cycle of endangered European freshwater pearl mussel Margaritifera margaritifera L. involves an obligatory parasitic phase on a host fish. Knowledge on the host–parasite interaction and on the suitability of different host fish species and strains is required both for the management of wild fish and mussel populations as well as for improving the efficiency of captive breeding methods.
  • 2. In this study, the suitability of different salmonid strains for hosting glochidia was tested, including Danube salmon (Hucho hucho L.) and three brown trout (Salmo trutta L.) strains from inside and outside the freshwater pearl mussel distribution range. All brown trout strains as well as Danube salmon were successfully infected with freshwater pearl mussel glochidia and encystment of mussel larvae was detected.
  • 3. One brown trout strain originating from the natural pearl mussel distribution range was identified as the most suitable host, revealing the highest fish‐weight‐normalized infection rates and highest glochidial growth rates, whereas endemic Danube salmon was least suitable. Under natural conditions, the role of Danube salmon may be attributed to the long‐distance dispersal of glochidia in the Danube system, whereas sedentary brown trout appear to be the most important hosts at a local scale.
  • 4. Successful infection of suitable hosts and the maintenance of these host–parasite systems in calcareous water were demonstrated in this study. These results indicate that neither the infection process nor the encystment phase of freshwater pearl mussels is dependent on low lime concentrations.
  • 5. The results of this study suggest that careful selection and management of appropriate host fish strains is mandatory for sustainable conservation management of freshwater pearl mussel populations. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
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11.
  • 1. The Hawkesbury‐Nepean River provides potable water for 5 million people living in the Sydney basin, and water for agricultural and horticultural production that meets most of Sydney's daily needs for fresh food. Anecdotal evidence indicated that numbers of freshwater mussels have seriously declined in much of the river over recent decades.
  • 2. A field survey revealed the presence of populations of three species of mussels, Hyridella depressa, Hyridella australis and Velesunio ambiguus in the river. Higher density mussel populations were most common in catchment areas with little human modification to the channel bed or adjacent vegetation communities.
  • 3. Levels of disturbance of riparian vegetation and, to a lesser degree, land use, were identified as being strongly associated with the absence of mussels from some reaches.
  • 4. Catchment geomorphology was also shown to be relevant to the abundance, population structure and suite of mussel species present in different geomorphic reaches of the river. Absence of mussels was noted from areas where they had been recorded in previous studies. These results demonstrate that mussel species are under threat in the catchment.
  • 5. As filter feeders with the ability to remove excess nutrients and bioaccumulate toxic substances, freshwater mussels play an important role in natural remediation processes in freshwater systems.
  • 6. The decline in mussel populations in the Hawkesbury‐Nepean River highlights concerns for the overall health of the river system, and supports the need to identify the subsidiary impacts of physical habitat modification in developing both riverine and riparian management strategies.
Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.  相似文献   

12.
  • 1. Microhabitat preferences of freshwater mussels and associated substrate characteristics were investigated across a range of geomorphic reaches in the Hawkesbury–Nepean River, Australia.
  • 2. The structure of substratum patches available was strongly influenced by geomorphic reach type. In each reach type, mussel distribution was most frequently correlated with coarse sand and a roughness element characteristic for that reach. Roughness elements such as boulders and cobbles create a flow refuge and were linked with mussel size.
  • 3. Small mussels tended to be associated with boulder‐stabilized habitats and medium sized mussels with cobble habitats. Large mussels rarely co‐occurred with any particular roughness element. Individual species were strongly linked to geomorphic reach type. This association may be due to species' differences in ability to colonize available microhabitat types.
  • 4. The highly tolerant Velesunio ambiguus dominated shale reaches, characterized by fine sediments and human impacts. In contrast, Hyridella depressa dominated in gorges, utilizing small flow refuges among boulders, while H. australis were present in low densities across a range of substrate conditions.
  • 5. The persistence of multispecies assemblages in mussel beds throughout the Hawkesbury–Nepean River implies similar niche utilization among species. Partitioning of habitats across species on the basis of size suggests some degree of habitat selection, or differential survival. At the local scale, microhabitat characteristics influenced the size distribution and densities of mussel assemblages. Continuing declines in mussel densities are likely to result from ongoing channel modification and increased siltation resulting from changes to riparian vegetation.
Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.  相似文献   

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  • 1. An internationally important population of the freshwater pearl mussel (Margaritifera margaritifera) was rediscovered in a small river in north‐west Russia.
  • 2. A survey of visible mussels in 2008/2009 indicated an estimated population of 40 000 individuals. This is the largest population currently known in the Leningrad oblast and is comparable with the entire pearl mussel population of some western European countries.
  • 3. The average density of visible mussels was 29.6 individuals m?2 in the middle part of the river. In the four largest mussel beds maximum densities of 1000+ individuals m?2 were recorded. Such densities are exceptional and have not been reported elsewhere in Europe during the last 100 years.
  • 4. Live juvenile mussels were recorded, indicating that that this population is viable, although further investigation is required to establish its status.
  • 5. Analysis of the population age structure, based on the measurement of empty shells, showed an age class distribution similar to those reported for other healthy Margaritifera populations.
  • 6. Only two live juveniles were found. However, this is likely to be due to the survey being restricted to counts of visible mussels only, and the age structure being based on the analysis of dead shells.
  • 7. The population's current status and possible reasons for its survival in this river are discussed. Conservation measures should include the construction of a fish ladder to make fish migration through the culvert possible, removal of a metal screen preventing fish migration from the upper reaches of the river to the lake, reduction of recreation activities, and providing the local children's camp with water treatment facilities. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
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15.
  • 1. Freshwater mussels or naiads are generally considered to thrive in river habitats, provided the ecological conditions are good. The presence of populations of these bivalves in artificial channels and ditches with natural bottoms has only scarcely been reported. The aim of this paper was to present the idea that these ‘channel’ and ‘ditch’ habitats could in fact be a sanctuary for naiads.
  • 2. Approximately 80 km of several of these waterways fed by the mid Ebro River were sampled in Spain to monitor their naiad populations. Observations indicate that these habitats harbour substantial colonies of freshwater mussels (including two populations of adult specimens of the endangered species Margaritifera auricularia), much more so than the corresponding river.
  • 3. The authors wish to alert conservation authorities and freshwater mussel experts to the extreme fragility and importance of this kind of habitat for the long‐term conservation of these imperilled molluscs.
Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.  相似文献   

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1. Until recently the status of Margaritifera margaritifera L. in Northern Ireland was not well documented. This paper presents the results of field surveys conducted in 1990/'91 and in 1996 at over 200 sites covering all major river systems in Northern Ireland. 2.Margaritifera populations in Northern Ireland were recorded at just 20 sites mainly located in the west of the province. Formerly many rivers supported vast numbers of mussels but anecdotal evidence points to periods of major declines in mussel populations since the turn of the century. 3. The absence of mussels smaller than 30 mm in length at most sites suggests very little or no recruitment during the past decade. During the surveys, deteriorating water quality, habitat disturbance and pearl fishing were recorded and are the major causes of the decline of the freshwater pearl mussel in Northern Ireland. 4. Unless the above problems are alleviated in the very near future, M. margaritifera will probably become extinct in Northern Ireland. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.  相似文献   

19.
1. Populations of freshwater pearl mussels (Margaritifera margaritifera (L.)) were surveyed in 12 Scottish rivers (selected from those known to contain viable populations). Overall mussel densities in different rivers ranged from 0.27 to 30.01 m−2. Median densities ranged from 2.5 to 14.5 m−2 and a maximum of 398 mussels m−2 was observed in one river. 2. Total population estimates in different rivers ranged from 2000 to 0.9–3.7 million. One population is particularly dense, with an estimated 0.6–1.2 million mussels in a 4‐km stretch of river. 3. Samples from nine populations were taken in order to provide mussel size/age data. Marked differences between size profiles and their corresponding age profiles were observed. It is difficult to interpret the former in terms of recruitment. 4. There were signs of recent recruitment in all of the populations investigated. Large numbers of young mussels (aged ≤20 years) were found in four rivers. The largest proportions at any particular site were 67/219 (30.6%) aged ≤10 years and 191/219 (87.2%) aged ≤20 years, both values being recorded in the same river. 5. The expected predominance of young mussels was not achieved in any population. Presumably, there is considerable underestimation of the youngest age classes owing to biased sampling techniques. However, several populations are thought to be recruiting at levels that are high enough to maintain viability. 6. One population (River F) is the best example of a ‘healthy’, moderately fished, recruiting population and its age profile could be used as a benchmark for future comparisons. 7. The results of this study emphasize the international importance of Scotland in terms of M. margaritifera conservation. However, the small numbers of juveniles found in some Scottish rivers indicates that many populations are vulnerable to decline and, therefore, their conservation status may be threatened in the long term. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.  相似文献   

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