Asian Clam Corbicula Research Articles

Distribuição de bivalves invasores no Paraguai: preenchendo as lacunas no coração da América do Sul

Abstract La Plata Basin is the second largest hydrographic system in South America but the most impacted by invasive species of molluscs in the continent. Paraguay is a land-surrounded South American country with scarce information about malacological fauna. To fill some of these gaps, a large field expedition was conducted to analyze the distribution of invasive freshwater bivalves in Paraguay. The field survey encompassed 41 sampling stations in seven Departments of Paraguay. The mussels were searched using bare hands and feet. All stations were georeferenced and some environmental parameters were measured. Results indicated the presence of three invasive species of freshwater bivalves in Paraguay: Corbicula fluminea, C. largillierti, and Limnoperna fortunei. The Asiatic clam Corbicula fluminea was the most widespread invasive species, covering main rivers and small tributaries in the four freshwater ecoregions of Paraguay. The two remaining invasive species were more restricted. Corbicula largillierti were found at the lower section of the Paraná River, and Limnoperna fortunei inhabits the main river canals of the Paraguay River and the lower section of the Paraná River. The invasive species were found in three protected areas of Paraguay and can represent a threat to the mostly unknown fauna of native mussels. The invasive bivalves are widespread in Paraguay. Mitigation measurements must be taken to avoid the spread of these species and more drawbacks over native fauna.

West-to-East Heavy Metal Transport in Bottom Sediments Affecting the Toxicity Indices of Asiatic Clam (Corbicula Fluminea) in Laguna De Bay, Philippines

West-to-East Heavy Metal Transport in Bottom Sediments Affecting the Toxicity Indices of Asiatic Clam (Corbicula Fluminea) in Laguna De Bay, Philippines

Homogenization of Macroinvertebrate Assemblages and Asiatic Clam Corbicula fluminea Invasion in a River of the Arid Patagonian Plateau, Argentina

The invasion of the Asiatic clamCorbicula flumineain South America has already reached Patagonia. Despite the well-known direct and indirect impacts that this species exerts on fresh-water ecosystems, particularly on benthic communities, few studies have been undertaken on its effect on the composition and structure of aquatic macroinvertebrate assemblages. This study evaluated the effects of the invasion of the Asiatic clamC. flumineaon the aquatic macroinvertebrate assemblages of the Limay River, one of the most important rivers of the arid plateau of Argentinian Patagonia. As this river is currently in the process of being invaded, it was possible to compare invaded and non-invaded sites. Invaded sites displayed a certain homogenization of their constituent species and functional composition. Non-metric multidimensional scaling, similarity analysis and similarity percentages showed negative or positive influence of the presence of this species on the abundance of some taxa, due to competition for resources in this low-productivity Patagonian ecosystem. The deposition of the faeces and pseudo-faeces ofC. flumineaenriches the organic content of the sediments. However, its pedal feeding can function as a competitive strategy: by consuming its own deposited organic matter when food is scarce, the amount available to other macroinvertebrates is reduced. This paper is the first contribution on the impact of this invasion on northern Patagonia’s aquatic macroinvertebrate assemblages.

Homogenization of Macroinvertebrate Assemblages and Asiatic Clam Corbicula fluminea Invasion in a River of the Arid Patagonian Plateau, Argentina

Fil: Labaut, Yeny. Universidad Nacional de Rio Negro, Instituto de Investigacion en Paleobiologia y Geologia. Rio Negro, Argentina.

Dissecting the chromosome-level genome of the Asian Clam (Corbicula fluminea)

The Asian Clam (Corbicula fluminea) is a valuable commercial and medicinal bivalve, which is widely distributed in East and Southeast Asia. As a natural nutrient source, the clam is rich in protein, amino acids, and microelements. The genome of C. fluminea has not yet been characterized; therefore, genome-assisted breeding and improvements cannot yet be implemented. In this work, we present a de novo chromosome-scale genome assembly of C. fluminea using PacBio and Hi-C sequencing technologies. The assembled genome comprised 4728 contigs, with a contig N50 of 521.06 Kb, and 1,215 scaffolds with a scaffold N50 of 70.62 Mb. More than 1.51 Gb (99.17%) of genomic sequences were anchored to 18 chromosomes, of which 1.40 Gb (92.81%) of genomic sequences were ordered and oriented. The genome contains 38,841 coding genes, 32,591 (83.91%) of which were annotated in at least one functional database. Compared with related species, C. fluminea had 851 expanded gene families and 191 contracted gene families. The phylogenetic tree showed that C. fluminea diverged from Ruditapes philippinarum, ~ 228.89 million years ago (Mya), and the genomes of C. fluminea and R. philippinarum shared 244 syntenic blocks. Additionally, we identified 2 MITF members and 99 NLRP members in C. fluminea genome. The high-quality and chromosomal Asian Clam genome will be a valuable resource for a range of development and breeding studies of C. fluminea in future research.

Morphological and Genetic Traits of the First Invasive Population of the Asiatic Clam Corbicula fluminea (O.F. Müller, 1774) Naturalized in the Volga River Basin

Variability of the first invasive population of C. fluminea (O.F. Muller, 1774) from the Volga basin is studied using the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I gene fragment (COI mtDNA), and morphological features of the shells are characterized. A comparison with C. fluminalis (O.F. Muller, 1774) from the Kura River basin is made in order to avoid errors in species identification. All analyzed individuals belong to the most widespread R morphological type. The only nucleotide sequence haplotype we found is identical to the widespread variant prevailing in the populations of Corbicula with R morphological type in Europe and also in America. There were mollusks of different shell size groups in the sample. Corbicula larvae were detected in qualitative zooplankton samples and in the gills of adults. Therefore, the studied population reproduces independently and may possibly become a source for further species expansion.

Integrating expert opinion and traditional ecological knowledge in invasive alien species management: Corbicula in Eastern Europe as a model

The rate of alien species introduction is on the rise and seems unstoppable at a global scale. Once an alien species has been introduced to a new system, early detection and rapid eradication is the only cost-effective alternative to containment and long-term control. Here, we provide an integrative approach combining three sources of information to assist the management of invasive alien species. We used the Asian clam Corbicula sp. invasion in the Lower Danube as a model. First, the reference distribution data for the species was obtained through a crowdsourcing campaign, including a bibliographic review, public repositories and unpublished data. Next, we weighted the importance of different introduction pathways and dispersal vectors, focusing on the opinion and experience of an expert panel. Finally, information retrieved with semi-structured interviews was contrasted against the present distribution of the species. The expert panel highlighted the opening of the Rhine–Main–Danube Canal in 1992 as the most probable pathway of Corbicula introduction in the Lower Danube. However, the bibliographic review and interviews pointed to an earlier introduction event throughout the Danube Delta. In the subsequent spread phase, all three sources of information refer to zoochory, but also human mediated activities, as the vectors responsible for Corbicula dispersal to Danube tributaries. Our study presents a methodology on how expert opinion and traditional ecological knowledge can be effectively integrated to identify introduction pathways and dispersal vectors that facilitate the spread of invasive alien species. This approach can be used for enhancing collaboration between academic and research institutions and for raising stakeholders’ awareness to be used in management.

STATUS OF FRESHWATER MUSSELS (UNIONIDAE) OF THE RÍO CONCHOS BASIN, CHIHUAHUA, MEXICO

Before this study, researchers had not systematically surveyed the Rio Conchos, a tributary of the Rio Grande located in northern Mexico, for freshwater mussels. The Texas hornshell, Popenaias popeii, an endangered species under the United States Endangered Species Act, occurs in the main stem of the Rio Grande near its confluence with the Rio Conchos. The Texas hornshell's proximity to the Rio Conchos prompted us to survey to determine whether P. popeii also occurs within the Conchos basin. Additionally, previous researchers described the Conchos disk, Disconaias conchos, from the Rio Conchos but, to date, no one has reported live individuals of this species. The goal of this study was to determine the status of mussels within the Rio Conchos basin and to provide a baseline for future monitoring efforts. We qualitatively surveyed 11 sites within the Rio Conchos basin in May 2018. In total, we found two live individuals of the paper pondshell, Utterbackia imbecillis, at one site in the Rio San Pedro, a tributary of the Conchos River, and as shells of recently live individuals at two sites in the Rio Conchos. We found D. conchos as relict shells only at three sites, two in the Rio Conchos and one in a tributary of the river at Coyame. The lack of live or fresh-dead material suggests that D. conchos is extinct. We also found live individuals of nonnative Asian clams (Corbicula spp.) at 10 sites. Sand and gravel mining, high organic pollution, and inadequate instream flows were evident throughout the basin and might explain the general absence of mussels.

Asiatic clam Corbicula fluminea exhibits distinguishable behavioural responses to crude oil under semi-natural multiple stress conditions

Aquatic ecosystems are subject to many anthropogenic disturbances, and understanding their possible impacts is a real challenge. Developing approaches based on the behaviour of bivalve mollusks, an integrating marker of the state of the organisms, and therefore of their environment, is relevant, whether within a natural ecosystem or an ecosystem subject to industrial activities. The main objective of this study was to identify by HFNI Valvometry a reliable and reproducible clam behavioural response in the presence of crude oil in a multistress context. To closely replicate actual field conditions, Corbicula fluminea was exposed in outdoor artificial streams that were subject to natural variations and were continuously fed by fresh water from the Gave de Pau (S.W. France). After a period of 26 days in these artificial streams, the clams (n = 14–16 per condition) were separately exposed for 10 days to crude oil alone, crude oil and barium, crude oil and noise pollution, crude oil and turbidity pulses, barium alone, noise pollution alone, turbidity pulses alone or natural changes alone. The secondary objective was to characterize the accumulation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) in 3 tissues (gills, adductor muscles and foot) in clams exposed for 10 days to crude oil alone or under multistress conditions (n = 5 clams per condition) and then to compare the accumulation and behaviour of clams under these conditions. The response of clams to crude oil alone or under multistress conditions was visually and statistically significant and not confounded by the other disturbances tested, despite large variations in water temperature. In the presence of crude oil, the behaviour of clams was characterized by an increase in valve-closure duration, a decrease in valve-opening amplitude and an increase in valve agitation index. In the presence of crude oil, the clam behaviour showed no direct relationship with PAH accumulation in the gills, adductor muscles or foot, although hypothetical mechanisms are discussed. This work supports the growing interest in studying the behaviour of bivalve mollusks in the context of biomonitoring of the aquatic environment surrounding oil facilities.

Whole-transcriptome response to wastewater treatment plant and stormwater effluents in the Asian clam, Corbicula fluminea

The increase in human population and urbanization are resulting in an increase in the volume of wastewater and urban runoff effluents entering natural ecosystems. These effluents may contain multiple pollutants to which the biological response of aquatic organisms is still poorly understood mainly due to mixture toxicity and interactions with other environmental factors. In this context, RNA sequencing was used to assess the impact of a chronic exposure to wastewater treatment plant and stormwater effluents at the whole-transcriptome level and evaluate the potential physiological outcomes in the Asian clam Corbicula fluminea.We de-novo assembled a transcriptome from C. fluminea digestive gland and identified a set of 3,181 transcripts with altered abundance in response to water quality. The largest differences in transcriptomic profiles were observed between C. fluminea from the reference site and those exposed to wastewater treatment plant effluents. On both anthropogenically impacted sites, most differentially expressed transcripts were involved in signaling pathways in relation to energy metabolism such as mTOR and FoxO, suggesting an energy/nutrient deficit and hypoxic conditions. These conditions were likely responsible for damages to proteins and transcripts in response to wastewater treatment effluents whereas exposure to urban runoff might result in immune and endocrine disruptions.In absence of comprehensive chemical characterization, the RNAseq approach could provide information regarding the mode of action of pollutants and then be useful for the identification of which parameters must be studied at higher integration level in order to diagnose sites where the presence of complex and variable mixtures of chemicals is suspected.

Case study of the Vernavola Stream (sub-lacustrine Ticino River basin, Northern Italy): the biological pollution of the Asiatic clam Corbicula fluminea (Müller, 1774)

espanolLa almeja asiatica, Corbicula fluminea, es una de las once especies bentonicas de mayor impacto segun la lista DAISIE (DAISIE – Delivering Alien Invasive Species Inventories for Europe), debido a su impacto tanto ambiental como socioecono- mico. Este articulo describe la distribucion y la dinamica de una poblacion bien establecida del bivalvo exotico Corbicula fluminea en el arroyo Vernavola, un afluente de la parte derecha del rio Ticino (Pavia, norte de Italia). Ademas, se realizo un experimento de laboratorio para investigar la preferencia de sustrato de este bivalvo, probando tres tipos diferentes: grava media, grava fina y arena media. La mayor densidad de la almeja asiatica se registro en las partes del arroyo donde el fondo estaba compuesto principalmente de arena mezclada con grava fina. Los resultados del experimento indicaron una fuerte preferencia por la arena sobre otros sustratos. Con el fin de evaluar en el futuro la contaminacion biologica de la almeja asiatica Corbicula fluminea, seria util conocer mas su autoecologia y controlar constantemente la dinamica de su poblacion. EnglishThe Asiatic clam, Corbicula fluminea, is among the eleven benthic species with the highest impact in the DAISIE list (DAISIE – Delivering Alien Invasive Species Inventories for Europe) because it has both environmental and socio-economic impacts. This paper reports the distribution and the dynamics of a well-established population of the alien bivalve Corbicula fluminea in the Vernavola Stream, a left-side tributary of the sub-lacustrine Ticino River (Pavia, Northern Italy). Additionally, we performed a laboratory experiment to investigate the substrate preference of the invasive bivalve, testing three different types of substrate: medium gravel, fine gravel and medium sand. The highest density of the Asiatic clam was registered in the parts of the stream where the bottom was mainly composed of sand mixed with fine gravel. The results of the experiment indicated a strong preference for sand over other substrates. In order to assess the future development of biological pollution from the Asiatic clam Corbicula fluminea, it would be useful to increase our knowledge of its autoecology and to constantly monitor its population dynamics

Invasive Asian clams (Corbicula fluminea) recorded from 2001 to 2016 in Massachusetts, USA

Invasive Asian clams (Corbicula fluminea) recorded from 2001 to 2016 in Massachusetts, USA

Active biomonitoring with Corbicula for USEPA priority pollutant and metal sources in the Anacostia River (DC, Maryland, USA).

The freshwater Anacostia River watershed (Maryland, DC, USA) was surveyed for the sources of bioavailable US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) Priority Pollutants and toxic metals by active biomontoring (ABM) using the freshwater Asiatic clam Corbicula fluminea. The Anacostia River is a 456 km(2) tributary of the tidal freshwater Potomac River that includes the city of Washington, DC where edible fish are highly contaminated with PCBs and chlordane. From 1999 to 2011, Corbicula were collected for ABM from a Potomac reference site and translocated in cages placed at 45 sites in the tidal and nontidal Anacostia watershed. Minimum clam mortality and maximum contaminant bioaccumulation was with 2-week translocation. The clam tissues (28-50) were combined at sites and analyzed by TestAmerica for 66 USEPA Priority Pollutants plus technical chlordane, benz(e) pyrene, and 6 metals (As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Pb). Tissue contaminants reflected water, not sediment, levels. To compare sites, all contaminant data above detection or reference were grouped as total metals (TMET), total polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (TPAH), total PCB congeners (TPCB), total pesticides (TPEST), and total technical chlordane (TCHL). Tidal Anacostia ABM found highest TPAH and TCHL upstream at Bladensburg Marina (MD) except for TCHL at site PP near the confluence. Five nontidal MD subtributaries (94% of flow) had 17 sites with bioavailable TPAH, TPCB, or TCHL 2 to 3 times higher than found at the toxic-sediment "hotspots" near Washington. The only TMET noted was Fe at 1 site. TPAH in MD subtributaries was highest near industrial parks and Metro stations. A naphthalene spill was detected in Watts Branch. TPCB (low molecular weight) originated upstream at 1 industrial park. Total technical chlordane (80% of TPEST) was 2 to 5 times the US Food and Drug Administration action in 4 nontidal tributaries where heptachlor indicated legacy chlordane dumpsites. Total technical chlordane fell to reference below a stormwater pond, suggesting transport via suspended sediment. Controlling the formation and movement of contaminated TSS in MD should enable the uncontaminated-sediment capping of Washington DC's toxic-sediment "hot-spots" that are presently considered responsible for fish contamination. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2016;12:548-558. © 2015 SETAC.

Identification of 246 microsatellites in the Asiatic clam (Corbicula fluminea)

Asiatic clam (Corbicula fluminea) is one of the most invasive freshwater bivalves. Despite the ecologic and economic impacts of this species, there are only a few polymorphic microsatellites. In this study, we screened the genome from C. fluminea in search of microsatellite markers using massive parallel sequencing. We identified 246 new microsatellites involving di-, tri-, tetra- and pentanucleotide single repeats and different compound microsatellites, and we used a validation protocol to characterize a sample of those. Nine of them presented two or more alleles indicating a low level of variability.

Effects of temperature and salinity on metabolic rate of the Asiatic clam Corbicula fluminea (Müller, 1774).

The effects of temperature and salinity on the metabolism of the Asiatic clam Corbicula fluminea (mollusca, Lamellibranchia) were studied experimentally. Firstly, three indexes of basal metabolism (oxygen consumption rate, OCR; ammonia excretion rate, AER; and CO2 emission rate, CER), patterns of diurnal rhythm and O: N ratios were measured for three size ranges (large: h = 25.54 ± 1.96 mm, medium: h = 22.07 ± 1.33 mm and small: h = 17.70 ± 1.43 mm) at two salinities (0.3‰ and 1.8‰). The results showed that: (1) three indexes decreased with increasing body size. (2) no significant difference was found between two salinities for the O: N ratios of the small and large size, but a significant difference was found for the medium-sized one; (3) however, there were similar and distinct diurnal rhythms of metabolic rate at two salinities over a 24 hour period in three size C. fluminea.OCR, AER, CER, O: N ratios and Q10 (temperature coefficient) of small-sized C. fluminea were measured across five water temperatures (4, 11, 18, 25 and 32°C) and two salinities (0.3‰ and 1.8‰) in the following experiments. Our results of the small C. fluminea were as follows: there was no significant difference in the O: N ratios among the five temperatures and two salinity treatments; and no significant difference of three indexes between both salinity levels were observed at same temperature controlled; and three indexes increased significantly with increasing temperature from 4°C to 25°C, while no significant difference was observed in the 25-32°C range; and the highest Q10 coefficients (Q10 = 1.825 at salinity of 0.3‰ and Q10 = 1.683 at salinity of 1.8‰) were observed at the 18-25°C temperature increase, and the low values were found in the 4-11°C, 11-18°C and 25-32°C interval. It indicates that there is not a synergetic effect of our temperature and salinity on the metabolic rate of small C. fluminea, and a temperature of 18-25°C may represent an optimum adequate metabolic temperature range. For the purposes of ecological monitoring and restoration, small individuals of C. fluminea planted are more likely to survive than larger ones.

Quantification of sediment reworking by the Asiatic clam Corbicula fluminea Müller, 1774

Active organisms modify the substratum in which they dwell. This process, called “bioturbation”, affects the way that biogeochemical fluxes are mediated at the substratum–water interface. In the frame of this work, the bioturbation potential of the Asiatic clam Corbicula fluminea was characterized and quantified. We measured the displacement of fluorescent particles by C. fluminea burying in a size-based experimental design in order to explore the effects of body-size on sediment reworking. Our results stress that C. fluminea belongs to the functional group of biodiffusors, and that C. fluminea can be considered as an intermediate sediment reworker. We suggest that bioturbation was mainly induced by the pedal-feeding activity of the clams. Results also showed that, though large clams induced displacement of particles deeper into the sediment, small clams showed the highest net sediment reworking activity. This result was in contrast to the initial hypothesis of biovolume as the main driver for particle displacement by bioturbating organisms. Life-history traits and specific features of pedal-feeding could explain the observed pattern.

Spatial Dynamics of an Age-Structured Population Model of Asian Clams

Asian clam (Corbicula fluminea) is one of the most important nonnative aquatic invasive species in the freshwater ecosystem of North America, rapidly spreading in lakes, canals, streams, and rivers. This species has remarkably distinct mobility patterns in different phases of its life cycle. We formulate a novel mathematical model, in the form of nonlocal delayed partial differential equations, to calculate and characterize the invasion speed, and show that the invasion speed coincides with the minimal speed of traveling wave fronts.

Mercury bioaccumulation along food webs in temperate aquatic ecosystems colonized by aquatic macrophytes in south western France

Mercury (Hg) is considered as an important pollutant for aquatic systems as its organic form, methylmercury (MeHg), is easily bioaccumulated and bioamplified along food webs. In various ecosystems, aquatic periphyton associated with macrophyte was identified as an important place for Hg storage and methylation by microorganisms. Our study concerns temperate aquatic ecosystems (South Western France) colonized by invasive macrophytes and characterized by high mercury methylation potentials. This work establishes original data concerning Hg bioaccumulation in organisms (plants, crustaceans, molluscs and fish) from five contrasting ecosystems. For low trophic level species, total Hg (THg) concentrations were low (from 27±2ngTHgg−1dw in asiatic clam Corbicula fluminea to 418±114ngTHgg−1dw in crayfish Procambarus clarkii). THg concentrations in some carnivorous fish (high trophic level) were close to or exceeded the International Marketing Level (IML) with values ranging from 1049±220ngTHgg−1dw in pike perch muscle (Sander lucioperca) to 3910±1307ngTHgg−1dw in eel muscle (Anguilla Anguilla). Trophic levels for the individuals were also evaluated through stable isotope analysis, and linked to Hg concentrations of organisms. A significant Hg biomagnification (r2= 0.9) was observed in the Aureilhan lake, despite the absence of top predator fish. For this site, Ludwigia sp. periphyton, as an entry point of Hg into food webs, is a serious hypothesis which remains to be confirmed. This study provides a first investigation of Hg transfer in the ecosystems of south western France and allows the assessment of the risk associated with the presence of Hg in aquatic food webs.

Invasive zebra mussels (Driessena polymorpha) and Asian clams (Corbicula fluminea) survive gut passage of migratory fish species: implications for dispersal

The introduction and spread of invasive species is of great concern to natural resource managers in the United States. To effectively control the spread of these species, managers must be aware of the multitude of dispersal methods used by the organisms. We investigated the potential for survival through the gut of a migrating fish (blue catfish, Ictalurus furcatus) as a dispersal mechanism for two invasive bivalves: zebra mussel (Driessena polymorpha) and Asian clam (Corbicula fluminea). Blue catfish (N = 62) were sampled over several months from Sooner Lake, Oklahoma, transported to a laboratory and held in individual tanks for 48 h. All fecal material was collected and inspected for live mussels. Survival was significantly related to water temperature in the lake at the time of collection, with no mussels surviving above 21.1 C°, whereas 12 % of zebra mussels (N = 939) and 39 % of Asian clams (N = 408) consumed in cooler water survived gut passage. This research demonstrates the potential for blue catfish to serve as a dispersal vector for invasive bivalves at low water temperatures.

North American range extension of the invasive Asian clam in a St. Lawrence River power station thermal plume

Similar to the zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha) and the quagga mussel (Dreissena bugensis), the Asian clam (Corbicula fluminea) is an invasive bivalve that has colonized many waterbodies in the United States and Europe. So far, low water temperature and ice formation during winter appear to have limited its northern distribution, especially in Eastern North America. This paper documents the recent discovery of a Corbicula fluminea population in the St. Lawrence River, in the thermal plume produced by the Gentilly-2 nuclear power plant (Becancour, Quebec, Canada). Based on a benthic samples obtained during November 2009 from 21 sites, both upstream and downstream of the power plant outlet, average density (± standard error) of this non-indigenous species was 368 ± 176 living individuals/m². Additional samples collected in 2010 showed an increase in density to 3,380 ± 1,315 living individuals/m² downstream the power station, and established the range limit at 4 km downstream. The species was present only downstream of the power plant and its distribution appears to be associated with the warm water plume. The influence of the thermal plume at 4 km from the power station was however fairly limited. The size of individuals varied from < 1 mm to 24 mm in length. These results confirm the establishment of the species in the St. Lawrence River, thereby extending the northern boundary of its distribution in North America.