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Freshwater Mollusk Biology and Conservation 20:89–102, 2017
ÓFreshwater Mollusk Conservation Society 2017
REGULAR ARTICLE
SURVIVAL OF TRANSLOCATED CLUBSHELL AND
NORTHERN RIFFLESHELL IN ILLINOIS
Kirk W. Stodola, Alison P. Stodola, and Jeremy S. Tiemann*
Illinois Natural History Survey, 1816 South Oak Street, Champaign, IL 61820 USA
ABSTRACT
Translocation of freshwater mussels is a conservation tool used to reintroduce extirpated
populations or augment small populations. Few studies have evaluated the effectiveness of
translocations, mainly because estimating survival is challenging and time-consuming. We used a
mark-recapture approach to estimate survival of nearly 4,000 individually marked Clubshell
(Pleurobema clava) and Northern Riffleshell (Epioblasma rangiana) translocated to eight sites over a
five-year period into the Salt Fork and Middle Fork Vermilion rivers in central Illinois. Survival
differed among sites and between species; Clubshell were approximately five times more likely to
survive than Northern Riffleshell. Survival also increased in the fourth year following a release and
decreased following high-flow events. Translocating numerous individuals into multiple sites over a
period of years could spread the risk of catastrophic high-flow events and maximize the likelihood for
establishing self-sustaining populations.
KEY WORDS: reintroduction, freshwater mussel, high flow, PIT tag, unionids
INTRODUCTION
North American freshwater mussels have undergone
drastic population declines during the past century and are
one of the most imperiled groups of animals in the world
(Williams et al. 1993; Lydeard et al. 2004; Strayer et al. 2004).
Translocation has been used for decades to augment
populations or reintroduce mussels into regions where species
have declined or are extirpated (Coker 1916; Ahlstedt 1979;
Sheehan et al. 1989). Much time and effort is placed on
collecting, marking, and transporting mussels for transloca-
tion, but few studies have evaluated the effectiveness of
mussel reintroductions. More than a quarter of all translocation
projects conducted prior to 1995 failed to report on the
efficacy of those efforts (Cope and Waller 1995).
Obtaining precise and unbiased estimates of mussel
survival is challenging, even for translocated individuals.
Mussels often burrow beneath the substrate surface when not
actively feeding or reproducing, making them difficult to
detect (Amyot and Downing 1998; Watters et al. 2001; Strayer
and Smith 2003). Furthermore, an unequal proportion of the
population is often sampled, such as larger individuals, those
found in easy-to-sample areas, or those at or near the surface
(Strayer and Smith 2003; Meador et al. 2011). Reliable
estimates of survival can be obtained using capture-mark-
recapture techniques (Hart et al. 2001; Meador et al. 2011).
Capture-mark-recapture methods are often time-intensive due
to the effort needed to capture and mark a large number of
individuals, but marking individuals already captured for
translocation can be easily incorporated.
The federally endangered Clubshell (Pleurobema clava)
and Northern Riffleshell (Epioblasma rangiana) were former-
ly widespread in the Ohio River and Great Lakes basins but
have experienced significant range reductions during the last
century. The recovery plan for the Clubshell and Northern
Riffleshell set objectives of reestablishing viable populations
in 10 separate river drainages across the species’ historical
range via augmentation and reintroduction (USFWS 1994).
Bridge construction on the Allegheny River, Pennsylvania,
which supports large populations of both species, prompted a
salvage operation to remove thousands of individuals from the
impacted area. In an attempt to meet recovery plan objectives,
these individuals were translocated to multiple streams within
seven states where the species had declined or had been
extirpated.
*Corresponding Author: jtiemann@illinois.edu
89
Beginning in 2006, the Illinois Department of Natural
Resources and the Illinois Natural History Survey partnered
with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and state agencies in
Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia to translocate Club-
shell and Northern Riffleshell from the Allegheny River to the
Vermilion River system (Wabash River basin) in Illinois,
where both species occurred historically (Cummings and
Mayer 1997; Tiemann et al. 2007). Pilot translocations (n,
75 individuals) first occurred in 2010 at one site each in the
Salt Fork and Middle Fork Vermilion rivers, and more
widespread translocations occurred at eight sites in 2012,
2013, and 2014. We conducted a five-year capture-mark-
recapture study focusing on those individuals released in 2012,
2013, and 2014 to estimate survival of translocated mussels.
Specifically, our goals were to evaluate (1) how survival
differed according to species, sex, and mussel size, (2) how
survival varied spatially (among sites and between rivers), and
(3) how survival varied temporally after release.
METHODS
Mussel Collection and Transportation
Mussels were collected from the Allegheny River at the
U.S. Highway 62 Bridge, Forest County, Pennsylvania. The
Allegheny River at this site is approximately 200 m wide and
drains an area of approximately 10,000 km
2
. Mean daily
discharge is approximately 56 m
3
/s at the end of August and
nearly 425 m
3
/s at the beginning of April (average of 71 yr;
USGS gage 03016000). We collected 197, 758, and 807
Clubshell and 957, 249, and 777 Northern Riffleshell in 2012,
2013, and 2014, respectively. We measured total length of
each individual as the greatest distance from the anterior to
posterior shell margin (nearest 1 mm), and affixed a 12.5 mm,
134.2 kHz PIT tag (BioMark, Inc., Boise, Idaho) to the right
valve and a uniquely numbered HallPrint Shellfish tag
(HallPrint, Hindmarsh Valley, South Australia) to the left
valve. Northern Riffleshell averaged 45.6 mm long (range 15–
70 mm) and Clubshell averaged 52.2 mm long (range 18–84
mm). We also determined the sex of each Northern Riffleshell
based on shell morphology, although a few smaller individuals
were classified as ‘‘unknown’’ (male:female ratio ¼1.34:1);
Clubshell sexes cannot be differentiated by external shell
morphology and were all classified as ‘‘ unknown.’’ Clubshell
and Northern Riffleshell were placed in coolers between damp
towels and transported in climate-controlled vehicles to
Illinois.
Mussel Translocation and Release
We selected release sites based on the presence of
presumably suitable habitat for Northern Riffleshell and
Clubshell, which consisted of clean, stable sand, gravel, and
cobble riffles (Watters et al. 2009), abundant and diverse
mussel populations (INHS 2017), and presence of suitable host
fishes (i.e., darters and minnows) for both mussel species
(Cummings and Mayer 1992; Tiemann 2008a, 2008b; Watters
et al. 2009). Based on these criteria, we selected four sites each
in the Salt Fork and Middle Fork Vermilion rivers in east-
central Illinois (Fig. 1). These streams are an order of
magnitude smaller than the Allegheny River, each 30–40 m
wide and draining approximately 1,100 km
2
. Mean daily
discharge in the Salt Fork is 0.4 m
3
/s at the end of August and
4.3 m
3
/s at the beginning of April (average of 45 yr; USGS
gage 03336900); mean daily discharge in the Middle Fork is
0.9 m
3
/s at the end of August and 8.5 m
3
/s at the beginning of
April (average of 38 yr; USGS gage 03336645).
We released 3,745 mussels (both species combined)
among all eight sites from 2012 to 2014 (Table 1). Mussels
were released in the late summer, following a quarantine and
acclimatization period (14 d for 2012 mussels and 4–5 d for
2013–2014 mussels, differences between years due to
logistics). We hand-placed mussels into the substrate at each
site within an area demarcated by site-specific landmarks (such
as trees, boulders, water willow beds, or other discernible
feature) to facilitate recapture surveys. The size of marked
release areas varied with site and were between 3–10 m wide
and 20–100 m long. Sites with greater suitable area received
more mussels, but all sites were stocked at less than 50% of
the density observed at the collection site on the Allegheny
River, which is 5.5/m
2
for Northern Riffleshell and 7.5/m
2
for
Figure 1. The Clubshell and Northern Riffleshell release sites in the Vermilion
River basin (Wabash River drainage), Illinois.
STODOLA ET AL.90
Clubshell (Enviroscience, Inc., personal communication);
these densities are similar to those seen for these species at
other locations (Crabtree and Smith 2009). We stocked
Clubshell at greater densities than Northern Riffleshell due
to presumed historical presence based on historical shell
collection records (INHS 2017). Logistical constraints (e.g.
land access, previous stocking, mussel availability) largely
dictated which sites received mussels in multiple years.
Field Surveys
We surveyed for PIT-tagged Clubshell and Northern
Riffleshell during 12 sampling periods from 2012 to 2016
(Appendix 1). We used a robust design sampling protocol that
included primary and secondary samples (Fig. 2; Kendall and
Nichols 1995; Kendall et al. 1997). We attempted to conduct
primary samples every 3–4 mo to represent each season
(spring, summer, autumn, winter), but environmental condi-
tions prevented us from collecting all samples during every
year. We used two to three observers during each primary
sample. Each observer was considered an independent sample
and represented a secondary sample in the robust design
framework. We detected PIT-tagged mussels using BioMark
FS2001F-ISO or BioMark HPR Plus receivers with portable
BP antennas (BioMark). Each observer independently tra-
versed the stream in a systematic manner from a unique
starting point while slowly sweeping the streambed with an
antenna. Surveys continued until the release site was covered
completely and extended 5–10 m downstream after detections
ceased. Each sample typically required 2–3 h/site.
Statistical Analyses
We used the Huggins Robust Design model (Huggins
1989, 1991) to estimate apparent survival while accounting for
imperfect detection and to estimate of the numbers of
individuals remaining after each sampling period. Population
estimates from the Huggins Robust Design model (Huggins
1989, 1991) are derived using the actual number of individuals
observed during a primary sample and detection probability.
We were interested in the influence of individual traits (sex,
length, and species), environmental factors (site within river
and whether or not flood events had occurred between primary
sampling periods), and number of years following release on
survival. We fit a single model that included all covariates
instead of fitting a suite of models and comparing model fit
(Burnham and Anderson 2002). Consequently, we attained
estimates for each species released at each site during each
year by estimating a species effect, site effect, and an effect of
years following release, along with the individual covariates of
sex and length and the environmental covariate of the presence
of a flood. We did not include group (site or species) by
sampling period interactions because we had no reason to
believe that survival would vary along that spatio-temporal
scale (Anderson and Burnham 2002). We constrained our
model so there was no immigration or emigration between
primary samples, which we believed was biologically
reasonable given the limited vagility of freshwater mussels
(Amyot and Downing 1998; Schwalb and Pusch 2007). We fit
detection as a function of sampling period and site to
encompass differences in sampling efficiency due to variation
in flow, temperature, and depth among dates and variation in
habitat conditions among sites. We did not account for
species-specific differences in detection because we used PIT
tags and hand-held readers for both species and did not believe
detection would differ by species when using this method.
Table 1. Number of Clubshell and Northern Riffleshell released into the Salt Fork and Middle Fork Vermilion rivers in 2012, 2013, and 2014.
Site
2012 2013 2014
Clubshell Riffleshell Clubshell Riffleshell Clubshell Riffleshell
Salt Fork
1 - 291 - - - -
2 106 196 258 - - -
3 91 470 250 - - -
4 - - 50 50 277 290
Middle Fork
5--5050--
6 - - 50 50 175 180
7 - - 50 50 181 174
8 - - 50 49 174 133
Totals 197 957 758 249 807 777
Figure 2. Robust design as employed in this study, with primary samples
(seasons) and secondary samples (observers).
SURVIVAL OF TRANSLOCATED MUSSELS 91
Post hoc analyses indicated that inclusion of species-specific
detection had very little influence on survival probabilities
(i.e., estimates were within 0.01%). We determined if a flood
occurred between primary samples using the Indicators of
Hydrologic Alteration software package (IHA; Richter et al.
1996) and discharge data for both streams from the U.S.
Geological Survey National Water Information System
(https://waterdata.usgs.gov/il/nwis/rt; gages 03336900 and
03336645). We did not differentiate between small floods
and large floods as identified by IHA, and anything equivalent
to or greater than a 2-yr flood event was considered a flood.
We used the Huggins’ p and c extension in Program MARK
(White and Burnham 1999) with initial capture probability (p,
probability of detecting an individual at least once during a
primary sample) equal to recapture probability (c, probability
of detecting an individual during a primary sample given it is
detected) because secondary samples occurred via the same
method on the same day. We interpreted the strength and
biological meaning of each model covariate using the beta
coefficients (b) and their 95% confidence intervals and log-
odds ratios, which approximate how much more likely it is for
an event (survival) to occur based on the beta coefficient (log-
odds ratio ¼e
b
, Gerard et al. 1998; Hosmer and Lemeshow
2010).
RESULTS
Detection rate averaged 0.78 across both species (range of
averages ¼0.66–0.90; Appendix 1). Detection was generally
greatest in autumn. Average detection in autumn samples was
about 1.25 times greater than for spring and summer samples;
we had only one winter sample because of high flows and
frozen conditions. However, detection probabilities were
highly variable among sites and sampling periods (Appendix
1).
Monthly survival varied among species, sites, and
sampling periods. Average monthly survival was 0.981 for
Clubshell and 0.905 for Northern Riffleshell; these values
translate to an approximate annual survival of 0.79 for
Clubshell and 0.30 for Northern Riffleshell, irrespective of
site, individual traits, and years following release. The b
coefficient and log-odds ratio showed that, overall, Clubshell
was approximately 5 times more likely to survive than
Northern Riffleshell, but the precision of this estimate was
low (95% confidence interval ¼1.57–18.003; Table 2). There
was no difference in survival among males, females, and
mussels of unknown sex; confidence intervals included zero
for all coefficients (Table 2). There was no appreciable effect
of size on survival. The log-odds ratio indicated that
individuals were 1.009 times more likely to survive (95%
confidence interval ¼1.003–1.016) for every mm increase in
length (Table 2).
Survival was greatest at Sites 1 and 4 on the Salt Fork and
lowest at Site 7 on the Middle Fork (Figs. 3–6). Log-odds
ratios showed that mussels were nearly 6 times less likely to
survive at Site 7 than Site 1, and mussels were 2–4 times less
likely to survive at Sites 2, 3, 5, and 6 (Table 2). Survival was
reduced following floods. The log-odds ratio showed that
Table 2. Parameter estimates (bcoefficients), standard errors (SE), log-odds (e
b
), and log-odds lower and upper 95% confidence limits (CL) of monthly survival of
translocated Clubshell and Northern Riffleshell relative to site, years following release, species, sex, mussel length, and presence of flood between primary
samples. Parameter estimates should be interpreted in relation to the baseline, which was Northern Riffleshell of average length and unknown sex at Site 1, four
years postrelease, and during a period with no flooding, as indicated.
Parameter Estimate SE Log-odds Lower CL log-odds Upper CL log-odds
Intercept 4.760 0.891
Individual traits
Clubshell versus Riffleshell 1.670 0.623 5.312 1.567 18.011
Male versus unknown 0.207 0.620 1.230 0.365 4.150
Female versus unknown 0.117 0.621 0.890 0.263 3.004
Length 0.009 0.004 1.009 1.003 1.016
Environmental factors
Site 2 versus Site 1 0.853 0.085 0.426 0.361 0.504
Site 3 versus Site 1 1.402 0.079 0.246 0.211 0.287
Site 4 versus Site 1 0.007 0.165 0.993 0.718 1.374
Site 5 versus Site 1 0.999 0.130 0.368 0.286 0.475
Site 6 versus Site 1 1.063 0.132 0.345 0.267 0.448
Site 7 versus Site 1 1.757 0.128 0.173 0.134 0.222
Site 8 versus Site 1 0.958 0.142 0.384 0.290 0.507
Flood versus No Flood 0.530 0.077 0.589 0.506 0.685
Years following release
Year 1 versus Year 4 1.260 0.658 0.284 0.078 1.030
Year 2 versus Year 4 1.666 0.661 0.189 0.052 0.691
Year 3 versus Year 4 1.228 0.660 0.293 0.080 1.066
STODOLA ET AL.92
Figure 3. Derived estimates of proportion of Clubshell remaining at each release site in the Middle Fork from 2012 to 2016. Gray boxes indicate when a flood
occurred. Numbers of individuals released per year per site can be viewed in Table 1.
Figure 4. Derived estimates of proportion of Clubshell remaining at each release site in the Salt Fork from 2012 to 2016. Gray boxes indicate when a flood
occurred. Numbers of individuals released per year per site can be viewed in Table 1.
SURVIVAL OF TRANSLOCATED MUSSELS 93
Figure 5. Derived estimates of proportion of Northern Riffleshell remaining at each release site in the Middle Fork from 2012 to 2016. Gray boxes indicate when a
flood occurred. Numbers of individuals released per year per site can be viewed in Table 1.
Figure 6. Derived estimates of proportion of Northern Riffleshell remaining at each release site in the Salt Fork from 2012 to 2016. Gray boxes indicate when a
flood occurred. Numbers of individuals released per year per site can be viewed in Table 1.
STODOLA ET AL.94
mussels were 1.70 times less likely to survive after floods
(95% confidence interval: 1.46–1.98) than after periods with
no floods; this is equivalent to a reduction of monthly survival
from 0.950 to 0.917 (average of all species and sites). The
occurrence of a flood on the Middle Fork during June–July
2015 was associated with a sharp decline in population size for
both species (Figs. 3, 5), but the influence of other flood events
was not associated with similar declines. We did not model
river as a separate factor (see Methods), but survival appeared
to be greater in the Salt Fork than in the Middle Fork. An
average of 62% of Clubshell and 19% of Northern Riffleshell
were alive in the Salt Fork in 2016 compared with only 21% of
Clubshell and 4% of Northern Riffleshell in the Middle Fork in
2016 (Figs. 3–6). This difference was apparent despite the fact
that most mussels were translocated to the Salt Fork 1–2 yr
earlier than in the Middle Fork (Table 1).
Number of years following release was an important
determinant of survival. Survival was greatest in the fourth
year following a release; individuals were 3.52 times more
likely to survive in the fourth year following release (95%
confidence interval: 0.97–12.80) compared to the first year
following release (Table 2). Survival was lowest in the second
year following release; individuals were 1.50 times less likely
to survive (95% confidence interval: 1.30–1.70) compared to
the first year (Table 2).
DISCUSSION
The long-term efficacy of a reintroduction program
depends on the establishment of a self-sustaining population,
which requires translocated individuals to survive until they
reproduce and replace themselves. It is too early to tell if the
Clubshell and Northern Riffleshell reintroduction program into
Illinois has been a success because no recruitment has been
documented. Reintroduction of the Clubshell appears to have
been more successful initially than reintroduction of Northern
Riffleshell. Reintroduced Clubshell survived at a much greater
rate and represented the majority of individuals remaining after
five years of monitoring. Annual survival for Clubshell (0.79)
is within the estimated range for other mussel species in the
wild, (0.50–0.99, Hart et al. 2001; Villella et al. 2004) and near
the estimates of the closely related Southern Clubshell
(Pleurobema decisum) (0.91, Haag 2012). However, annual
survival for Northern Riffleshell (0.30) was well below those
values, those reported from French Creek, Pennsylvania,
which averaged 0.60 (Crabtree and Smith 2009), and those of
the closely related Oystermussel (Epioblasma capsaeformis)
(0.73, Jones and Neves 2011; Haag 2012).
Some species may be inherently more difficult to
translocate. There is high variability in the success of
translocation projects, ranging from nearly all individuals
remaining after a few years to very few if any (e.g., Ahlstedt
1979; Sheehan et al. 1989; Cope et al. 2003). Some of this
variation may be explained by inherent life history differences
among species, and Clubshell probably lives longer than
Northern Riffleshell. For instance, the Southern Clubshell, a
congener of Clubshell, can reach 45 yr of age (Haag and Rypel
2011), while Northern Riffleshell is a relatively short-lived
species with a maximum age reported in French Creek,
Pennsylvania, of 11 yr (Crabtree and Smith 2009). Based on
these differences, Northern Riffleshell is expected to have
lower survival than Clubshell even in wild populations, and
our data show that translocated populations may have even
lower survival. Consequently, translocation of short-lived
species such as Northern Riffleshell may require larger
numbers of individuals and repeated translocations to
overcome high mortality and ensure that translocated individ-
uals experience conditions favorable for recruitment.
Differences in hydrology, either between rivers or even
within the same river, may play an important role in
determining the suitability of sites for freshwater mussel
reintroduction (Cope et al. 2003; Carey et al. 2015). The
hydrology, land use, and watershed size of the Vermilion
River basin differ from the source location of the Allegheny
River (Larimore and Smith 1963; Smith 1968; Larimore and
Bayley 1996; White et al. 2005), thus some discrepancy in
survival between the source and recipient basins may be
expected. However, the Salt Fork Vermilion and Middle Fork
Vermilion rivers are comparable in size and have similar land
use and hydrology, yet we found that survival varied even
among sites within a river. Local-scale differences among
sites, such as substrate or gradient, can lead to biologically
significant differences that influence survival (McRae et al.
2004). We selected release sites based on the best available
habitat and species assemblage data, yet unmeasured habitat
differences and stochastic events appeared to have a large
effect on survival. Similar results have been observed in other
translocations, such as siltation due to bank failure following
flow diversion (Bolden and Brown 2002), possible washout
due to earthen causeway removal (Tiemann et al. 2016), or
diminished recovery of relocated individuals in sites with high
current velocity in the two years following relocation (Dunn et
al. 2000).
High-discharge events present an ongoing threat to the
reintroduction of Clubshell, Northern Riffleshell, and similar
translocation projects. High-flow events have been problem-
atic in other translocation projects (e.g., Sheehan et al. 1989;
Carey et al. 2015) and were clearly detrimental for
translocated Clubshell and Northern Riffleshell. Following
the flood in June–July 2015, we examined the nearest
downstream gravel bar at a few sites and found numerous
stranded and dead individuals. Existing native mussel
communities in the Salt and Middle Fork Vermilion rivers
have persisted throughout similar high-flow events, but
translocated mussels may be at a disadvantage. PIT tags
can decrease the burrowing rate of individuals (Wilson et al.
2011), and translocated mussels may have lower energetic
status (Patterson et al. 1997), which could reduce their ability
to anchor themselves in the substrate or rebury after a flood
event (Killeen and Moorkens 2016). Additionally, the native
mussel community represents individuals that have found
optimal locations to withstand scouring and dislodging. The
SURVIVAL OF TRANSLOCATED MUSSELS 95
Clubshell and Northern Riffleshell we translocated may not
have had enough time to find optimal locations, which may
have made them more vulnerable to dislodgement and may
partly explain why individuals survived at a greater rate 4 yr
following release.
We provide the following recommendations for conducting
and monitoring reintroduction efforts. The best time to
monitor Clubshell and Northern Riffleshell was during
autumn, when stream flows were low and we observed the
greatest probability of detection. Sampling was difficult or
impossible during the spring because of high stream flows,
which resulted in reduced detectability using handheld readers;
sampling also was difficult in winter because of high flows and
occasional ice cover. Spreading reintroduction efforts over
several geographically separate river systems could lessen risk
of failure due to stochastic events such as floods, chemical
spills, and biological invasion (e.g., Griffith et al. 1989; Trdan
and Hoeh 1993). Translocating individuals over a period of
several years might also reduce the overall risk of failure due
to isolated events occurring in a particular year. For instance,
many Clubshell and Northern Riffleshell, especially in the
Middle Fork, were lost during a late spring/early summer high-
flow event in 2015. Finally, stocking greater numbers of
individuals in multiple translocations for species with naturally
low annual survival, such as Northern Riffleshell, may be
necessary to maximize chances for natural recruitment.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This project is a collaborative effort among the U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service (USFWS); Pennsylvania Fish and Boat
Commission (PFBC); Pennsylvania Department of Trans-
portation; Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR),
including the Illinois Nature Preserves Commission and the
Illinois Endangered Species Protection Board; Illinois
Natural History Survey; University of Illinois, Urbana-
Champaign; Champaign County Forest Preserve District;
the Ohio State University; Columbus Zoo and Aquarium;
West Virginia Department of Natural Resources; Indiana
Department of Natural Resources; Kentucky Department of
Fish and Wildlife; and EnviroScience, Inc. Permits were
provided by the USFWS (no. TE73584A-1); PFBC (e.g., no.
2014-02-0837, no. 2013-756); IDNR (e.g., no. SS16-047, no.
S-10-30); the Illinois Nature Preserves Commission; and the
University of Illinois. Funding was provided in part by the
USFWS (through the IDNR’s Office of Resource Conserva-
tion to the Illinois Natural History Survey, Grant no.
R70470002 and no. RC09-13FWUIUC); the USWFS’s Ohio
River Basin Fish Habitat Partnership (Award no.
F14AC00538); the IDNR (through the Natural Resource
Damage Assessment settlement: Heeler Zinc–Lyondell
Basell Companies, Reference Document no. OREP1402
and no. OREP1504); the Illinois Wildlife Preservation Fund
(Grant no. RC07L25W); and the Illinois Department of
Transportation.
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SURVIVAL OF TRANSLOCATED MUSSELS 97
Appendix 1. Estimates of detection for each site and during each period; 95% confidence intervals are provided in parentheses.
Sample Period
Middle Fork Salt Fork
Site 1 Site 2 Site 3 Site 4 Site 5 Site 6 Site 7 Site 8
Summer 2012 --------
Autumn 2012 0.71 (0.68–0.74) 0.67 (0.64–0.71) 0.68 (0.64–0.72) - ----
Summer 2013 0.72 (0.68–0.75) 0.68 (0.63–0.73) 0.69 (0.63–0.74) - ----
Autumn 2013 0.79 (0.77–0.81) 0.76 (0.74–0.70) 0.76 (0.72–0.80) 0.87 (0.85–0.89) 0.83 (0.80–0.85) 0.77 (0.73–0.80) 0.81 (0.77–0.85) 0.85 (0.82–0.88)
Winter 2014 - - - 0.80 (0.76–0.84) 0.84 (0.80–0.88) - 0.83 (0.78–0.87) -
Spring 2014 ----0.76 (0.72–0.80) 0.69 (0.63–0.74) 0.71 (0.66–0.76) 0.79 (0.75–0.84)
Summer 2014 0.70 (0.67–0.72) 0.66 (0.63–0.69) 0.67 (0.64–0.71) 0.81 (0.77–0.84) 0.75 (0.71–0.78) 0.67 (0.63–0.72) 0.73 (0.68–0.78) 0.78 (0.74–0.82)
Autumn 2014 - 0.75 (0.72–0.78) - 0.85 (0.81–0.87) 0.80 (0.76–0.83) 0.73 (0.68–0.77) 0.78 (0.73–0.82) 0.82 (0.78–0.86)
Spring 2015 - - - 0.72 (0.67–0.77) 0.77 (0.73–0.82) 0.70 (0.64–0.75) 0.75 (0.69–0.81) -
Summer 2015 0.80 (0.78–0.82) 0.78 (0.75–0.80) 0.78 (0.74–0.82) 0.88 (0.86–0.90) 0.84 (0.81–0.87) 0.78 (0.74–0.82) 0.83 (0.78–0.86) -
Autumn 2015 0.86 (0.84–0.87) 0.83 (0.81–0.85) 0.84 (0.80–0.87) 0.92 (0.90–0.93) 0.88 (0.86–0.91) 0.84 (0.80–0.87) 0.87 (0.84–0.90) 0.90 (0.88–0.92)
Spring 2016 0.78 (0.74–0.81) 0.75 (0.71–0.79) - 0.87 (0.83–0.89) 0.82 (0.78–0.86) - 0.81 (0.75–0.85) 0.85 (0.81–0.88)
STODOLA ET AL.98
Appendix 2. Monthly apparent survival estimates for Clubshell. Years (2012–2014) represent the year animals were released. Numbers in parentheses beside
primary sample indicate the number of months since the preceding sample; 95% confidence intervals are provided in parentheses beside survival estimates. Bold
rows indicate a flood occurred during that period (e.g., between Su 2013 and Au 2013). Sp ¼spring, Su ¼summer, Au ¼autumn, Wi ¼winter.
Primary
Samples (mo)
Salt Fork Vermilion River
Site 1 Site 2 Site 3 Site 4
2012 2013 2012 2013 2012 2013 2014
Su 2012–Au 2012 (2) 0.994
(0.993–0.995)
- 0.977
(0.974–0.981)
- 0.987
(0.984–0.989)
--
Au 2012–Su 2013 (9) 0.990
(0.989–0.992)
- 0.962
(0.956–0.967)
- 0.978
(0.973–0.982)
--
Su 2013–Au 2013 (2) 0.992
(0.990–0.993)
0.994
(0.993–0.995)
0.966
(0.962–0.971)
0.977
(0.974–0.981)
0.980
(0.976–0.984)
0.994
(0.992–0.996)
-
Au 2013–Wi 2014 (4) 0.992
(0.990–0.993)
0.994
(0.993–0.995)
0.966
(0.962–0.971)
0.977
(0.974–0.981)
0.980
(0.976–0.984)
0.994
(0.992–0.996)
-
Wi 2014–Sp 2014 (2) 0.992
(0.990–0.993)
0.994
(0.993–0.995)
0.966
(0.962–0.971)
0.977
(0.974–0.981)
0.980
(0.976–0.984)
0.994
(0.992–0.996)
-
Sp 2014–Su 2014 (2) 0.992
(0.990–0.993)
0.994
(0.993–0.995)
0.966
(0.962–0.971)
0.977
(0.974–0.981)
0.980
(0.976–0.984)
0.994
(0.992–0.996)
-
Su 2014–Au 2014 (4) 0.995
(0.993–0.996)
0.992
(0.990–0.993)
0.978
(0.973–0.982)
0.966
(0.962–0.971)
0.987
(0.983–0.990)
0.991
(0.988–0.994)
-
Au 2014–Sp 2015 (5) 0.995
(0.993–0.996)
0.992
(0.990–0.993)
0.978
(0.973–0.982)
0.966
(0.962–0.971)
0.987
(0.983–0.990)
0.991
(0.988–0.994)
0.994
(0.992–0.996)
Sp 2015–Su 2015 (3) 0.991
(0.988–0.993)
0.986
(0.983–0.988)
0.963
(0.955–0.97)
0.944
(0.934–0.953)
0.979
(0.972–0.983)
0.986
(0.980–0.990)
0.990
(0.986–0.993)
Su 2015–Au 2015 (3) 0.995
(0.993–0.996)
0.992
(0.990–0.993)
0.978
(0.973–0.982)
0.966
(0.962–0.971)
0.987
(0.983–0.990)
0.991
(0.988–0.994)
0.994
(0.992–0.996)
Au 2015–Sp 2016 (6) 0.997
(0.990–0.999)
0.991
(0.988–0.993)
0.989
(0.961–0.997)
0.963
(0.955–0.970)
0.994
(0.977–0.998)
0.991
(0.986–0.994)
0.986
(0.98–0.990)
SURVIVAL OF TRANSLOCATED MUSSELS 99
Appendix 2, extended.
Middle Fork Vermilion River
Site 5 Site 6 Site 7 Site 8
2013 2014 2013 2014 2013 2014 2013
-------
-------
0.985
(0.980–0.988)
- 0.984
(0.979–0.988)
- 0.968
(0.959–0.975)
- 0.985
(0.981–0.989)
0.985
(0.980–0.988)
- 0.984
(0.979–0.988)
- 0.968
(0.959–0.975)
- 0.985
(0.981–0.989)
0.985
(0.980–0.988)
- 0.984
(0.979–0.988)
- 0.968
(0.959–0.975)
- 0.985
(0.981–0.989)
0.985
(0.980–0.988)
- 0.984
(0.979–0.988)
- 0.968
(0.959–0.975)
- 0.985
(0.981–0.989)
0.977
(0.971–0.982)
- 0.976
(0.969–0.981)
- 0.953
(0.940–0.963)
- 0.978
(0.972–0.983)
0.977
(0.971–0.982)
0.985
(0.980–0.988)
0.976
(0.969–0.981)
0.984
(0.979–0.988)
0.953
(0.940–0.963)
0.968
(0.959–0.975)
0.978
(0.972–0.983)
0.962
(0.950–0.971)
0.974
(0.966–0.981)
0.960
(0.946–0.97)
0.973
(0.964–0.980)
0.922
(0.898–0.941)
0.947
(0.931–0.959)
0.964
(0.951–0.973)
0.977
(0.971–0.982)
0.985
(0.980–0.988)
0.976
(0.969–0.981)
0.984
(0.979–0.988)
0.953
(0.940–0.963)
0.968
(0.959–0.975)
0.978
(0.972–0.983)
0.975
(0.966–0.982)
0.962
(0.950–0.971)
0.974
(0.963–0.981)
0.960
(0.946–0.97)
0.953
(0.940–0.963)
0.922
(0.898–0.941)
0.976
(0.967–0.983)
STODOLA ET AL.100
Appendix 3. Monthly apparent survival estimates for Northern Riffleshell. Years (2012–2014) represent the year animals were released. Numbers in parentheses
beside primary sample indicate the number of months since the preceding sample; 95% confidence intervals are provided in parentheses beside survival estimates.
Bold rows indicate a flood occurred during that period (e.g., between Su 2013 and Au 2013). Sp ¼spring, Su ¼summer, Au ¼autumn, Wi ¼winter.
Primary Samples (months)
Salt Fork
Site 1 Site 2 Site 3 Site 4
2012 2013 2012 2013 2012 2013 2014
Su 2012–Au 2012 (2) 0.971
(0.907–0.991)
- 0.891
(0.706–0.965)
- 0.934
(0.806–0.98)
--
Au 2012–Su 2013 (9) 0.951
(0.852–0.985)
- 0.828
(0.586–0.942)
- 0.893
(0.711–0.966)
--
Su 2013–Au 2013 (2) 0.957
(0.867–0.987)
0.971
(0.907–0.991)
0.844
(0.614–0.949)
0.891
(0.706–0.965)
0.904
(0.735–0.97)
0.970
(0.904–0.991)
-
Au 2013–Wi 2014 (4) 0.957
(0.867–0.987)
0.971
(0.907–0.991)
0.844
(0.614–0.949)
0.891
(0.706–0.965)
0.904
(0.735–0.97)
0.970
(0.904–0.991)
-
Wi 2014–Sp 2014 (2) 0.957
(0.867–0.987)
0.971
(0.907–0.991)
0.844
(0.614–0.949)
0.891
(0.706–0.965)
0.904
(0.735–0.97)
0.970
(0.904–0.991)
-
Sp 2014–Su 2014 (2) 0.957
(0.867–0.987)
0.971
(0.907–0.991)
0.844
(0.614–0.949)
0.891
(0.706–0.965)
0.904
(0.735–0.97)
0.970
(0.904–0.991)
-
Su 2014–Au 2014 (4) 0.972
(0.909–0.991)
0.957
(0.867–0.987)
0.894
(0.71–0.967)
0.844
(0.614–0.949)
0.936
(0.809–0.98)
0.956
(0.862–0.987)
-
Au 2014–Sp 2015 (5) 0.972
(0.909–0.991)
0.957
(0.867–0.987)
0.894
(0.71–0.967)
0.844
(0.614–0.949)
0.936
(0.809–0.98)
0.956
(0.862–0.987)
0.970
(0.904–0.991)
Sp 2015–Su 2015 (3) 0.953
(0.855–0.986)
0.928
(0.793–0.978)
0.832
(0.59–0.944)
0.762
(0.483–0.916)
0.896
(0.715–0.967)
0.928
(0.785–0.979)
0.951
(0.846–0.986)
Su 2015–Au 2015 (3) 0.972
(0.909–0.991)
0.957
(0.867–0.987)
0.894
(0.71–0.967)
0.844
(0.614–0.949)
0.936
(0.809–0.98)
0.956
(0.862–0.987)
0.97
(0.904–0.991)
Au 2015–Sp 2016 (6) 0.986
(0.923–0.997)
0.953
(0.855–0.986)
0.944
(0.746–0.99)
0.832
(0.59–0.944)
0.967
(0.836–0.994)
0.952
(0.849–0.986)
0.928
(0.785–0.979)
SURVIVAL OF TRANSLOCATED MUSSELS 101
Appendix 3, extended.
Middle Fork
Site 5 Site 6 Site 7 Site 8
2013 2014 2013 2014 2013 2014 2013
-------
-------
0.924
(0.78–0.977)
- 0.920
(0.768–0.975)
- 0.851
(0.624–0.952)
- 0.927
(0.785–0.978)
0.924
(0.78–0.977)
- 0.920
(0.768–0.975)
- 0.851
(0.624–0.952)
- 0.927
(0.785–0.978)
0.924
(0.78–0.977)
- 0.920
(0.768–0.975)
- 0.851
(0.624–0.952)
- 0.927
(0.785–0.978)
0.924
(0.78–0.977)
- 0.920
(0.768–0.975)
- 0.851
(0.624–0.952)
- 0.927
(0.785–0.978)
0.890
(0.702–0.966)
- 0.884
(0.688–0.963)
- 0.792
(0.525–0.929)
- 0.894
(0.709–0.967)
0.890
(0.702–0.966)
0.924
(0.78–0.977)
0.884
(0.688–0.963)
0.920
(0.768–0.975)
0.792
(0.525–0.929)
0.851
(0.624–0.952)
0.894
(0.709–0.967)
0.827
(0.578–0.943)
0.878
(0.675–0.961)
0.818
(0.563–0.94)
0.871
(0.66–0.959)
0.691
(0.391–0.887)
0.771
(0.493–0.921)
0.833
(0.587–0.946)
0.890
(0.702–0.966)
0.924
(0.78–0.977)
0.884
(0.688–0.963)
0.920
(0.768–0.975)
0.792
(0.525–0.929)
0.851
(0.624–0.952)
0.894
(0.709–0.967)
0.881
(0.679–0.963)
0.827
(0.578–0.943)
0.874
(0.665–0.961)
0.818
(0.563–0.940)
0.776
(0.498–0.924)
0.691
(0.391–0.887)
0.885
(0.687–0.964)
STODOLA ET AL.102