Mussel Sites - Klamath River - 2010 [ds662]

Freshwater mussels of the Klamath River community filter water, provide habitat and food for other animals and are culturally important to the Karuk tribe. Mussels are disappearing at an alarming rate in the United States and worldwide; more information on mussel biology and habitat is crucial for conservation. As part of the first comprehensive study of mussels in the Klamath River, we identified habitat variables important to mussel conservation and provided baseline data for future studies. We hypothesized that long term habitat stability affected the distribution and abundance of Gonidea angulata (western ridged mussel), Margaritifera falcata (western pearlshell) and Anodonta sp. (floater mussel) in the Klamath River. We predicted that mussels would more commonly inhabit stable areas like pools, bar edges and bedrock and boulder substrates than less stable areas. We found that substrate and river edge correlated with M. falcata and G. angulata distribution, but mesohabitat did not. M. falcata referentially inhabited boulder and gravel substrates whereas G. angulata lived in boulder and cobble; both commonly occupied stable bank edges. Our research suggests that river edge and substrate are important factors for mussel habitat, and that mussels prefer habitats that are stable for multiple decades. Continued research on the Klamath River mussels is necessary for effective monitoring and conservation of mussels as a cultural and biological resource.

None". Citations: Krall M. 2010. Freshwater Mussel Abundance and Habitat in the Klamath River of Northern California. B.A.Thesis, Department of Biology, Whitman College, Walla Walla, WA. Tennant C. 2010. A population demographic analysis of Gonidea angulata in the Mid- Klamath Basin. Whitman College, unpublished thesis. Westover ML. 2010. Freshwater mussel distribution, abundance, and habitat preference in the middle Klamath River, Northern California. B.A.Thesis, Department of Biology, Whitman College, Walla Walla, WA.

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