2023 Early Hearing Detection & Intervention Conference
March 5-7, 2023 • Cincinnati, OH
5/26/2021 | 8:30 AM - 10:30 AM | Does it take a community to save a species? Investigating community interactions among at-risk unionid species in the Great Lakes basin | Virtual Platform
Does it take a community to save a species? Investigating community interactions among at-risk unionid species in the Great Lakes basin
Freshwater unionid mussels contribute numerous ecosystem functions and interact with all trophic levels of a food web, organic matter, algae, invertebrates and fish. To date research on mussel species interactions has focused on mussel-host fish relationships and early life-stage (i.e., glochidial) processes. However, improved understanding of interactions across trophic levels could be critical in addressing declines in many unionid species. We explored community interactions between different mussel species, benthic macroinvertebrates and water quality indicators across the Sydenham River watershed in Ontario, Canada. Through partnerships with federal and local conservation authorities, we conducted a survey in the 2020 summer using a hybrid timed search/quadrat approach to quantify freshwater mussel communities and co-occurring macroinvertebrate taxa. Patterns of species co-occurrence were found across multiple gradients, with differences across sites and with waterway size. Some common mussel species were nearly ubiquitous, while other species were limited to few sites, including listed species at risk. Combining efforts across agencies bolstered existing datasets and added insight into species coexistence and potential indicator species. As these interaction types are infrequently considered in conservation, this will aid future freshwater mussel management efforts across multiple scales.
- Monitoring
- Biological interactions
- Conservation
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Presenters/Authors
Roland Eveleens
(), Great Lakes Institute of Environmental Research, University of Windsor, eveleen@uwindsor.ca;
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Todd J. Morris
(), Great Lakes Laboratory for Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, todd.morris@dfo-mpo.gc.ca;
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Catherine Febria
(), University of Windsor, Catherine.Febria@uwindsor.ca;
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