Variación anual de larvas del mejillón dorado (Limnoperna fortunei) en sistemas de refrigeración de centrales hidroeléctricas en embalses del Río Negro, Uruguay

Abstract

Limnoperna fortunei (golden mussel) is an alien mollusk in the Plata basin and is native from the Southeastern Asia. Its benthic patches generate macrofouling in hydraulic installations causing additional costs to the affected companies. The objective of this work is to determine the variation of abundance and the size of the valves larval stages of the golden mussel, establishing associations with the water quality parameters in the cooling systems in the three hydroelectric power stations (HP) of the reservoirs of the Negro River (Uruguay) that has been invaded by the species. In the three cooling systems the golden mussel larval density average showed associations with temperature of the water and the percentage of organic material of the column water. Larger larval abundances were registered during warm and minimum during cold months. For the three systems, is suggested a reproductive pause of the species at water temperatures lower than 18ºC and the start of the larval cycle at higher values. The Velíger larvae type D and preumbonate Veliger stages were the dominant stages. In terms of the golden mussel settlement the HP Constitución cooling system was the most exposed. It highlights the need to continue deepening in the knowledge of L. fortunei in order to better implement control and mitigation measures for the species.