Colonization, Ecology, and Population Structure of the "Quagga'' Mussel (Bivalvia: Dreissenidae) in the Lower Great Lakes

1993 ◽  
Vol 50 (11) ◽  
pp. 2305-2314 ◽  
Author(s):  
Edward L. Mills ◽  
Ron M. Dermott ◽  
Edward F. Roseman ◽  
Donna Dustin ◽  
Eric Mellina ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Great Lakes ◽  
Zebra Mussel ◽  
Dreissena Polymorpha ◽  
Lake Erie ◽  
New York State ◽  
Lake Ontario ◽  
Quebec City ◽  
Quagga Mussel ◽  
Eastern Basin ◽  
St Lawrence River

An invasive dreissenid mussel given the working name of "quagga" has a present (spring 1993) distribution in the Laurentian Great Lakes from the western basin of Lake Erie to Quebec City. In Lake Erie, quaggas were collected as early as 1989 and now are most common in the eastern basin. In Lakes Erie and Ontario, proportions of quaggas increased with depth and decreasing water temperature. In the eastern basin of Lake Erie, quaggas outnumbered zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha) by 14 to 1 in deeper waters (>20 m). In Lake Ontario, quaggas were observed at depths as great as 130 m, and both quagga and zebra mussel were found to survive at depths (>50 m) where temperatures rarely exceed 5 °C. Quaggas were sparse or absent along inland waterways and lakes of New York State. Mean shell size of quagga mussel was larger than that of zebra mussel at sites in the Niagara River, Lake Ontario, and the St. Lawrence River. The largest quaggas (38 mm) were observed in the St. Lawrence River at Cape Vincent.

Invasion of Lake Erie Offshore Sediments by Dreissena, and Its Ecological Implications

1993 ◽  
Vol 50 (11) ◽  
pp. 2298-2304 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Dermott ◽  
M. Munawar
Keyword(s):  
Zebra Mussel ◽  
Dreissena Polymorpha ◽  
Lake Erie ◽  
Quagga Mussel ◽  
Central Basin ◽  
Eastern Basin ◽  
Fine Sediments ◽  
Ecological Implications ◽  
Large Populations ◽  
Hard Substrates

Large populations of the exotic rounded (noncarinate) shelled mussel of the genus Dreissena were found to exist on soft sediments collected throughout the central and eastern basins of Lake Erie during July and August 1992. Two different phenotypes were present on fine sediments (<150 μm) in the eastern basin. An elongated white morph was common on the profundal sediments beyond 40 m depth, while the "quagga" mussel was common on sand and sandy silt at depths between 10 and 30 m. Together with the carinated zebra mussel Dreissena polymorpha, which is very abundant on hard substrates in the sublittoral region, at least 80% of Lake Erie's bottom sediments have been invaded by Dreissena. Only that region of the central basin (near Cleveland) which undergoes periodic summer anoxia was not inhabited by this genus.

A new molecular technique for identifying field collections of zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha) and quagga mussel (Dreissena bugensis) veliger larvae applied to eastern Lake Erie, Lake Ontario, and Lake Simcoe

1998 ◽  
Vol 76 (1) ◽  
pp. 194-198 ◽  
Author(s):  
W Trevor Claxton ◽  
Elizabeth G Boulding
Keyword(s):  
Zebra Mussel ◽  
Dreissena Polymorpha ◽  
Lake Erie ◽  
Lake Ontario ◽  
Pcr Primers ◽  
Quagga Mussel ◽  
Molecular Technique ◽  
Dreissena Bugensis ◽  
Lake Simcoe ◽  
Veliger Larvae

The veliger larvae of two introduced species of bivalves, the zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha) and the quagga mussel (Dreissena bugensis), are difficult or impossible to tell apart morphologically. We have developed specific dreissenid polymerase chain reaction (PCR) primers from dreissenid bivalve DNA sequences, which amplify a region of the cytochrome c oxidase subunit I mitochondrial gene. Non-dreissenid mtDNA, as found in field-collected veliger samples, was not amplified by these new PCR primers. The DNA sequence of this region distinguishes zebra mussel from quagga mussel larvae. Restriction digests of this region using the enzyme ScrFI showed no intraspecies variation in restriction pattern. We used this technique to distinguish the species of veliger larvae collected in eastern Lake Erie, Lake Ontario, and Lake Simcoe. In our limited study, no quagga mussel larvae were found in Lake Simcoe, suggesting that this mussel species has not yet spread to the Kawartha Lake system. No zebra mussel larvae were found in either Lake Erie or Lake Ontario. These preliminary results add to the growing evidence that the quagga mussel is replacing the zebra mussel in parts of the lower Great Lakes.

Absence of naturally occurring hybridization between the quagga mussel (Dreissena bugensis) and the zebra mussel (D. polymorpha) in the lower Great Lakes

1995 ◽  
Vol 73 (2) ◽  
pp. 400-403 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adrian P. Spidle ◽  
Edward L. Mills ◽  
Bernie May
Keyword(s):  
Great Lakes ◽  
Zebra Mussel ◽  
Lake Erie ◽  
Lake Ontario ◽  
Natural Hybridization ◽  
Quagga Mussel ◽  
Dreissena Bugensis ◽  
Protein Coding ◽  
Quagga Mussels ◽  
Naturally Occurring

The coexistence of two dreissenids, the quagga mussel (Dreissena bugensis) and the zebra mussel (D. polymorpha), in a new environment raises the possibility of natural hybridization and possible introgression. Animals of both species were collected in areas where they occur sympatrically (25–39% were quagga mussels) and screened at two protein-coding loci believed to differentiate between the two species. The occurrence of alleles diagnostic for both species in an individual would demonstrate hybridization between the species. No hybrid individuals were observed in a survey of 750 animals from four sites in Lake Ontario and one site in Lake Erie. Successful hybridization between these two genetically disparate species seems unlikely in the Great Lakes.

Zebra Mussels as Biomonitors for Organic Contaminants in the Lower Great Lakes

1996 ◽  
Vol 31 (2) ◽  
pp. 411-432 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael E. Comba ◽  
Janice L. Metcalfe-Smith ◽  
Klaus L.E. Kaiser
Keyword(s):  
Great Lakes ◽  
Organic Contaminants ◽  
Lake Erie ◽  
Soft Tissues ◽  
Lake Ontario ◽  
Dry Weight ◽  
Zebra Mussels ◽  
Organic Contamination ◽  
Contamination Levels ◽  
St Lawrence River

Abstract Zebra mussels were collected from 24 sites in Lake Erie, Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River between 1990 and 1992. Composite samples of whole mussels (15 sites) or soft tissues (9 sites) were analyzed for residues of organochlo-rine pesticides and PCBs to evaluate zebra mussels as biomonitors for organic contaminants. Mussels from most sites contained measurable quantities of most of the analytes. Mean concentrations were (in ng/g, whole mussel dry weight basis) 154 ΣPCB, 8.4 ΣDDT, 3.5 Σchlordane, 3.4 Σaldrin, 1.4 ΣBHC, 1.0 Σendosulfan, 0.80 mirex and 0.40 Σchlorobenzene. Concentrations varied greatly between sites, i.e., from 22 to 497 ng/g for ΣPCB and from 0.08 to 11.6 ng/g for ΣBHC, an indication that mussels are sensitive to different levels of contamination. Levels of ΣPCB and Σendosulfan were highest in mussels from the St. Lawrence River, whereas mirex was highest in those from Lake Ontario. Overall, mussels from Lake Erie were the least contaminated. These observations agree well with the spatial contaminant trends shown by other biomoni-toring programs. PCB congener class profiles in zebra mussels are also typical for nearby industrial sources, e.g., mussels below an aluminum casting plant contained 55% di-, tri- and tetrachlorobiphenyls versus 31% in those upstream. We propose the use of zebra mussels as biomonitors of organic contamination in the Great Lakes.

Responses of Ohio River and Lake Erie dreissenid molluscs to changes in temperature and turbidity

1998 ◽  
Vol 55 (1) ◽  
pp. 220-229 ◽  
Author(s):  
James H Thorp ◽  
James E Alexander, Jr. ◽  
Bonny L Bukaveckas ◽  
Gary A Cobbs ◽  
Kurt L Bresko
Keyword(s):  
Climatic Change ◽  
Zebra Mussel ◽  
Dreissena Polymorpha ◽  
Lake Erie ◽  
Elevated Temperatures ◽  
Warm Season ◽  
Suspended Sediments ◽  
Quagga Mussel ◽  
Ohio River ◽  
River Population

To predict possible effects of global climatic change (via changes in ambient water temperatures and suspended sediments) on two exotic bivalves (zebra mussel, Dreissena polymorpha, and quagga mussel, Dreissena bugensis), we evaluated survival and growth at three temperatures (ambient, ambient + 2°C, and ambient + 4°C) and two turbidities (ambient and twice ambient) in outdoor tanks for approximately 3 months during both warm and cool seasons. We compared responses of zebra and quagga mussels from southwestern Lake Erie and zebra mussel from the Ohio River at Louisville, Kentucky. Experimental increases in temperature significantly enhanced growth rates in fall - early winter but not during summer - early fall. Elevated temperatures increased mortality in the warm season but not in the cool season. Zebra mussel survived better (especially the Ohio River population) than did quagga mussel at high temperatures. Inorganic turbidity had few detectable effects; relationships, where significant, varied with temperature and species. Based on these experiments and related laboratory studies, we predict that populations of Dreissena in the Ohio River and farther south will suffer overall if water temperatures increase. In contrast, more northern populations of Dreissena will probably benefit from predicted climatic change and may extend their range to higher latitudes and altitudes.

Dramatic Decline of Unionid Bivalves in Offshore Waters of Western Lake Erie After Infestation by the Zebra Mussel, Dreissena polymorpha

1994 ◽  
Vol 51 (10) ◽  
pp. 2234-2242 ◽  
Author(s):  
Don W. Schloesser ◽  
Thomas F. Nalepa
Keyword(s):  
Great Lakes ◽  
Zebra Mussel ◽  
Dreissena Polymorpha ◽  
Lake Erie ◽  
Zebra Mussels ◽  
Laurentian Great Lakes ◽  
Western Lake ◽  
Dramatic Decline ◽  
Heavy Infestation ◽  
Western Lake Erie

Unionid bivalves and attached epizoic zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha) were collected at one index station in 1989, 1990, and 1991 and at 17 stations in 1991 in offshore waters of western Lake Erie of the Laurentian Great Lakes. Sampling at the index station revealed that the proportion of live unionids declined from 53% in September 1989 to 17% in May–June 1990 and to 0% in September 1990: this 100% mortality coincided with heavy infestation by zebra mussels. Quantitative sampling with a Ponar grab at the 17 stations in 1991 revealed a widespread and dramatic reduction in unionid populations. In 1982, five unionid species occurred at 35% of the stations at a density of 4/m2, whereas in 1991, no live unionid species were found. Qualitative sampling with an epibenthic sled at the 17 stations in 1991 yielded only 4 live specimens of 2 species (Amblema plicata plicata and Fusconaia flava) and 187 dead specimens of 10 species. These and other results indicate that unionid populations are being negatively affected by zebra mussels in the Great Lakes. Similar impacts on unionids are expected to occur where zebra mussels become abundant throughout North America.

The ecology and impact of the invasion of Lake Ontario by the zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha) and quagga mussel (D. bugensis)

2003 ◽  
pp. 559-578
Author(s):  
T.L. Negley ◽  
E.L. Mills ◽  
B. Baldwin ◽  
R. O’Gonnan ◽  
R.W. Owens
Keyword(s):  
Zebra Mussel ◽  
Dreissena Polymorpha ◽  
Lake Ontario ◽  
Quagga Mussel

Aerial exposure tolerance off zebra and quagga mussels (Bivalvia: Dreissenidae): implications for overland dispersal

1995 ◽  
Vol 52 (3) ◽  
pp. 470-477 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anthony Ricciardi ◽  
Robert Serrouya ◽  
Frederick G. Whoriskey
Keyword(s):  
Zebra Mussel ◽  
Dreissena Polymorpha ◽  
Depth Distribution ◽  
Quagga Mussel ◽  
Relative Depth ◽  
Aerial Exposure ◽  
Dreissena Bugensis ◽  
Quagga Mussels ◽  
Weight Losses ◽  
St Lawrence River

We examined the effects of ambient temperature (10, 20, and 30 °C) and relative humidity (10, 50, and 95% RH) on the aerial exposure tolerance of adult zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha) and quagga mussel (D. bugensis) collected from the St. Lawrence River. Survivorship of mussels in air significantly increased with increasing RH, decreasing temperature, and increasing mussel size. At 20 °C and 50% RH (early temperate summer conditions), large (21–28 mm) D. polymorpha survived more than 5 days exposure, whereas small (10–18 mm) D. polymorpha survived 1–3 days. Seventy-three percent of large D. polymorpha and 10% of small D. polymorpha survived 10 days exposure at conditions considered optimal for survivorship (10 °C and 95% RH). Survivorship of D. bugensis was tested at 20 °C and was 15–100% lower than that of D. polymorpha at all RH levels combined with exposures less than 5 days. Dreissena bugensis also suffered significantly higher percent weight losses because of desiccation than D. polymorpha. The differences in the desiccation tolerance of zebra and quagga mussels reflect their relative depth distribution in lakes. Our results suggest that, given temperate summer conditions, adult Dreissena may survive overland transport (e.g., on small trailered boats) to any location within 3–5 days' drive of infested waterbodies.

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