2023 Early Hearing Detection & Intervention Conference
March 5-7, 2023 • Cincinnati, OH
5/27/2021 | 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM | FEEDING ECOLOGY OF INVASIVE NEW ZEALAND MUD SNAILS AND IMPACTS ON LEAF DECOMPOSITION | Virtual Platform
FEEDING ECOLOGY OF INVASIVE NEW ZEALAND MUD SNAILS AND IMPACTS ON LEAF DECOMPOSITION
Invasive species are an ever-increasing problem in freshwaters, particularly in the Laurentian Great Lakes region. The New Zealand mud snail (NZMS) is a widespread invasive gastropod first introduced to the Great Lakes in 1991; recently, it has been found in rivers in the region, where little is known about fundamental aspects of its ecology. We combined mesocosm experiments with field studies to assess the diets of NZMS and impacts on leaf-litter decomposition. In laboratory mesocosms individual NZMS growth rates depended on the species of leaves they consumed; litter-decomposition rates were increased by NZMS and depended on leaf species. Growth and decomposition rates were explained by the nitrogen content of the litter. Stable isotopes and a 2-source mixing model revealed that 65% of carbon in NZMS from the Au Sable River (Michigan, USA) originates from terrestrial leaves, with 35% originating from periphyton. Despite this finding, NZMS enclosed in fine-mesh bags in the field had a non-detectible influence on decomposition. Our results indicate that NZMS are generalist feeders potentially impacting multiple compartments in food webs, although their impacts might not be evident early in the invasion process when population densities are low.
- Organic matter
- Food webs
- Stream
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Presenters/Authors
Kennedy Bommarito
(), Dept. of Biological Sciences, Oakland University, kpphillips@oakland.edu;
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Emily Bovee
(), Dept. of Biological Sciences, Oakland University, enbovee@oakland.edu;
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Abigail Gonzales
(), Dept. of Biological Sciences, Oakland University, abigailgonzales@oakland.edu;
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Scott Tiegs
(), Dept. of Biological Sciences, Oakland University, tiegs@oakland.edu;
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