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Investigating the effects of dreissenid mussel shells in streams post-invasion

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Darrin S. Hunt
Darrin S. Hunt
Darrin S. Hunt
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Donna R Kashian at Wayne State University
Donna R Kashian
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Abstract and Figures

The ecological impact of dreissenid mussel (e.g., quagga and zebra) populations and their empty shells on native fauna in large rivers and lakes has been extensively studied. However, there is limited information on their effects in small wadable streams. Although established mussel populations in these systems are uncommon, their shells are found in high densities in benthic environments and may adversely impact stream communities. Shell densities were quantified using quadrats in two wadable streams to assess impacts on native benthic macroinvertebrates and fish. Eight reaches of each river were sampled, four with dreissenids and four without, totaling 16 locations. Macroinvertebrate and fish communities were characterized using diversity and environmental tolerance indices. Shell densities were significantly higher in dreissenid-invaded sites compared to sites with only native bivalves in both rivers. Dense shell beds had degraded biological conditions with fewer sensitive macroinvertebrates, but bed density did not affect overall macroinvertebrate or fish diversity. These findings differ from lake and large river studies, which found a greater impact of dreissenid shell deposition on macroinvertebrate and fish diversity than we observed in small wadable streams. Thus, a different approach to management and restoration may be necessary to maintain a natural community composition in wadable streams.
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Hydrobiologia (2024) 851:4727–4738
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-024-05627-x
PRIMARY RESEARCH PAPER
Investigating theeffects ofdreissenid mussel shells
instreams post‑invasion
DarrinS.Hunt · DonnaR.Kashian
Received: 20 September 2023 / Revised: 19 June 2024 / Accepted: 24 June 2024 / Published online: 1 July 2024
© The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2024
with fewer sensitive macroinvertebrates, but bed den-
sity did not affect overall macroinvertebrate or fish
diversity. These findings differ from lake and large
river studies, which found a greater impact of dreis-
senid shell deposition on macroinvertebrate and fish
diversity than we observed in small wadable streams.
Thus, a different approach to management and resto-
ration may be necessary to maintain a natural com-
munity composition in wadable streams.
Keywords Freshwater· Invasive species· Zebra
mussels· Macroinvertebrates· EPT· Fish
Introduction
Invasive dreissenids, zebra [Dreissena polymorpha
(Pallas, 1771)], and quagga mussels (D. rostriformis
bugensis Andrusov, 1897) have been a persistent
problem in many North American and European
(Matthews etal., 2014; Haubrock etal., 2024) fresh-
water systems for decades (Ludyanskiy etal., 1993;
MacIsaac, 1996; Strayer et al., 1999; Mayer et al.,
2002; Strayer & Malcom, 2006; Zhu et al., 2006;
Higgins & Vander Zanden, 2010). They were first
reported in the Great Lakes in the late 1980s, where
they were introduced through the ballast water of
cargo ships (Schneider et al., 1998; Fields, 2005;
Bossenbroek et al., 2007; Carr, 2009). By the early
1990s, their range expanded beyond the Great Lakes
into the Illinois, Hudson, and Mississippi Rivers,
Abstract The ecological impact of dreissenid mus-
sel (e.g., quagga and zebra) populations and their
empty shells on native fauna in large rivers and lakes
has been extensively studied. However, there is lim-
ited information on their effects in small wadable
streams. Although established mussel populations in
these systems are uncommon, their shells are found
in high densities in benthic environments and may
adversely impact stream communities. Shell densi-
ties were quantified using quadrats in two wadable
streams to assess impacts on native benthic mac-
roinvertebrates and fish. Eight reaches of each river
were sampled, four with dreissenids and four with-
out, totaling 16 locations. Macroinvertebrate and fish
communities were characterized using diversity and
environmental tolerance indices. Shell densities were
significantly higher in dreissenid-invaded sites com-
pared to sites with only native bivalves in both rivers.
Dense shell beds had degraded biological conditions
Handling editor: Manuel Lopes-Lima
Supplementary Information The online version
contains supplementary material available at https:// doi.
org/ 10. 1007/ s10750- 024- 05627-x.
D.S.Hunt· D.R.Kashian(*)
Department ofBiological Sciences, Wayne State
University, 5047 Gullen Mall, Detroit, MI48202, USA
e-mail: dkashian@wayne.edu
D. S. Hunt
e-mail: dhunt@ozarks.edu
Content courtesy of Springer Nature, terms of use apply. Rights reserved.
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