Clam Rangia Cuneata Research Articles

Bioaccumulation of phenolic endocrine disruptors in the clam Rangia cuneata: Storage in shells and influence of size and sex

This study aimed to investigate the sequestration of phenolic endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) such as bisphenol A (BPA), 4-t-octylphenol (4-t-OP), and 4-nonylphenol (4-NP) in the shells of the mature clam Rangia cuneata from the Vistula Lagoon (southern Baltic Sea) and to determine the influence of sex and shell length on bioaccumulation of these contaminants. Even though there is broad interest in EDCs influences on aquatic organisms, these basic parameters are poorly understood, yet necessary for assessing environmental risks for clams. Average proportions of the total body burden (ng/individual) deposited in shells of R. cuneata were more than 70% for BPA and 4-NP and up to 32% for 4-t-OP. These results indicate that shell storage can be an important route for elimination of specific EDCs. Relationships between EDCs concentrations and the size and sex of R. cuneata indicate that females and large individuals experience greater exposures to the adverse effects of these pollutants than males and smaller clams. This effect could have significant impacts on population ecology and ultimately affect the entire ecosystem, in which bivalves play an important role. In the context of using clams to assess water pollution, the co-variation of EDCs concentrations with the size and sex of bivalves could influence the quality of monitoring data, unless accounted for in sampling design and data analysis.

Using osmotic shock to control invasive aquatic species

Coastal estuaries are especially vulnerable to the arrival and establishment of invasive aquatic species (IAS) as they are often the receiving locations of ship-based introductions. Rapid response tools, such as mechanical or chemical treatments to capture, remove, and contain of IAS, are needed to prevent subsequent spread into adjacent marine and freshwater systems. Abrupt salinity change, created when infrastructure in estuaries situated at the proximity of river mouths is operated, offers a novel, low-cost and environmentally friendly method for potentially controlling IAS. We investigated the use of osmotic shock to control the invasive brackish water clam Rangia cuneata that is quickly spreading through Europe. Clams were exposed in the laboratory to eight salinity concentrations ranging from 0.5 to 32.0‰ and monitored for 60 days. Saline shock, but not freshwater shock, could control R. cuneata. Salinities >26‰ killed 95% R. cuneata in two weeks. All specimens exposed to full strength seawater (32‰) were killed within 30 days. At lower salinities, clams collected from the most freshwater locality (1.2‰) showed lower mortality than clams from the most saline site (3.1‰). Furthermore, even modest increases in salinity during spawning periods of R. cuneata may prevent recruitment. Given the vulnerability of coastal estuaries to introduction of IAS, saline flushing presents a novel and effective management tool for many species.

Microcapsulated biocides for the targeted control of invasive bivalves

Invasive alien species (IAS) are one of the greatest drivers of ecological change. Typically, control uses chemical agents that often are ineffective, harmful to non-target organisms, and environmentally persistent. Bivalves are frequently high impact IAS, but have proven particularly hard to control due to their valve-closing response when exposed to conventional control agents. Microencapsulation of biocides with edible coatings represents a highly targeted delivery route, bypassing avoidance responses and accumulating in bivalves through their prodigious filter feeding. Uneaten microcapsules degrade and become biologically inactive within hours thus reducing potential impacts on non-target biota. We manufactured two new formulations of microcapsules (BioBullets). Particles were designed to mimic natural food particles (algae) in terms of size (9.5 ± 0.5 to 19.4 ± 1.3 SE µm diameter), buoyancy (near neutral) and shape (spherical). Laboratory exposures demonstrated that two formulations effectively controlled the Gulf wedge clam Rangia cuneata, an IAS currently spreading rapidly through Europe. A single dose of 2–6 mg L−1 of the active ingredient in a static system achieved 90% mortality after 30 days of exposure. Microencapsulation offers an effective and targeted management tool for rapid responses following the early detection of both Gulf wedge clams and many other filter-feeding IAS, and may be especially effective in closed systems or where populations remain very localised.

Diet of Lesser Scaup Wintering on Lake Pontchartrain, Louisiana

AbstractThe lesser scaup Aythya affinis has been a species of conservation concern since continental breeding populations began declining in the 1980s. The causes of this decline are likely multifaceted, but cross-seasonal effects are believed to play a prominent role: females unable to acquire sufficient nutrient reserves during winter and spring migration have poor survival and breeding success. Understanding scaup diet composition and prey selection can help managers not only diagnose mechanisms underlying wintering scaup distributions, but may also help direct management actions to increase forage availability and quality. We evaluated the diet of 60 scaup collected from a major wintering site in Louisiana, Lake Pontchartrain. Scaup consumed almost entirely mollusks, especially targeting medium-sized (6–16 mm) common rangia clams Rangia cuneata, which were strongly selected relative to their availability. Eighty-two percent of scaup consumed dark false mussels Mytilopsis leucophaeata and 57% consumed dwarf surf clams Mulinia lateralis; both foods were selected by scaup, but were uncommon in benthic samples. On the other hand, small snails Texadina sphinctostoma, Probythinella protera were common in dredge samples but were either avoided or consumed in proportion to their availability. We conclude that medium-sized common rangia clams and dark false mussels are the most consumed foods for scaup wintering on Lake Pontchartrain, and hypothesize that annual variation in prey populations may be an important proximate driver of scaup abundance.

Bluebills and bayou bivalves: Hurricane‐driven trophic cascades affect wintering abundance of Lesser Scaup in Louisiana

AbstractThe estuaries of coastal Louisiana overwinter a continentally significant proportion of Lesser Scaup (Aythya affinis; colloquially, “bluebills”), a migratory bird species of conservation concern since population declines began in the 1980s. Thirty‐eight years of aerial waterfowl surveys of Lake Pontchartrain—an oligohaline estuarine lagoon in southeast Louisiana—show that scaup abundance fluctuates between 0 and 1,194,907 birds, though the mechanisms driving this variation are unknown. Previous studies have shown that scaup feed primarily on mollusks, and so changes in the benthic prey community have the potential to strongly influence scaup dynamics on the Lake. Benthic communities are in turn shaped by both natural and anthropogenic disturbances (e.g., hurricanes and spillway openings), potentially creating a lagged bottom‐up trophic cascade that ultimately affects scaup abundance. Using 22 yr of paired benthic invertebrate and aerial waterfowl survey data, we found scaup populations increased with the abundance of medium‐sized Rangia clams (Rangia cuneata) and Dwarf Surf Clams (Mulinia lateralis). Those prey species declined in years when the Lake was hit by a hurricane, but medium‐sized Rangia rebounded strongly the year after, likely because storm‐surge salinity induces spawning. Using long‐term aerial survey data for scaup, we indeed found strong declines on the Lake in years when a hurricane made landfall, but scaup abundance increased the following year, presumably responding to large numbers of medium‐sized Rangia. Our three‐part analysis makes a strong case for a hurricane‐driven bottom‐up trophic cascade that affects scaup populations on Lake Pontchartrain. This study adds to a growing literature demonstrating not only that estuaries are tidally and seasonally dynamic, but that punctuated disturbance events can be important for maintaining ecosystem function.

Limited success of the non-indigenous bivalve clam Rangia cuneata in the Lithuanian coastal waters of the Baltic Sea and the Curonian Lagoon

Summary The gulf wedge clam, common rangia Rangia cuneata, with a native origin in the Gulf of Mexico has spread to north European brackish and freshwaters. This semitropical species is able to survive in conditions of low winter temperatures in boreal environment of the Baltic Sea. Its expansion within lagoons and sheltered bays in the southern and eastern parts of the Baltic Sea appears to be with natural spread and its discontinuous distribution is likely to have been with shipping, either within ballast water or as settled stages transported with dredged material. In this account, we report on the occurrence of R. cuneata in Lithuanian waters. We compare habitats of the common rangia in the Curonian Lagoon and in the exposed coastal waters of the Baltic Sea. We notice high mortality of the species in the Lithuanian waters in comparison to the neighboring Vistula Lagoon. Based on finding of small specimens of R. cuneata attached to the spiked watermilfoil Myriophyllum spicatum, we indicate a risk of local spread with movements of fishing equipment and snagged plants on anchors or boat trailers removed from the water. We discuss the possibility of further spread of the common rangia to similar environments in the Baltic Sea and elsewhere in Europe.

Mortality of post-settlement clams Rangia cuneata (Mactridae, Bivalvia) at an early stage of invasion in the Vistula Lagoon (South Baltic) due to biotic and abiotic factors

The clam Rangia cuneata, originating from the Gulf of Mexico, was recorded in the Vistula Lagoon for the first time in the early 2010s, and quickly became the dominant component of the zoobenthic biomass. To assess mortality as a factor potentially controlling the growth of Rangia population, a year-long field experiment involving marked bivalves placed in sediment-filled trays deployed on the bottom was conducted in 2014 and 2015. Predator-induced mortality of the clams was low in summer, and very high in the winter–spring period. It was inversely proportional to the size of the clams. Such changes can be partially attributed to predation from at least five fish and three duck species, which contained clams in their digestive tracts. Non-predatory mortality particularly affected large individuals, and was highest in spring, several weeks after the end of winter. We hypothesize that it could be caused by persistent low temperatures over several winter months which led to considerable weakening of the condition of clams. A long winter could also reduce their resistance to environmental stress and potential effect of epibionts, as well as increase susceptibility to predation.

The first report on the establishment and spread of the alien clam Rangia cuneata (Mactridae) in the Polish part of the Vistula Lagoon (southern Baltic)

Summary Information on distribution of the bivalve Rangia cuneata in the Polish part of the Vistula Lagoon is presented. The species, first recorded in the Lagoon in 2010, has since rapidly colonized almost the entire basin. The distribution and population structure of the species have been studied in the Polish part of the Lagoon since 2012. Preliminary results on distribution and size structure of the population highlight extensive fluctuations in 2012–2014. A drastic reduction in the abundance following the relatively long winter of 2012/2013 suggests that the winter oxygen deficiency associated with the ice cover could be critical for the population development. Potential effects of the new invasive bivalve on the structure of benthic habitats and macrozoobenthos communities are discussed.

EDNA and specific primers for early detection of invasive species – A case study on the bivalve Rangia cuneata, currently spreading in Europe

Intense human activities facilitate the successful spread and establishment of non-indigenous aquatic organisms in marine and freshwater ecosystems. In some cases such intrusions result in noticeable and adverse changes in the recipient environments. In the Baltic Sea, the discovery and rapid initial spread of the North American wedge clam Rangia cuneata represents a new wave of invasion which may trigger unpredictable changes of the local benthic communities. In this study we present a species-specific DNA-based marker developed in silico and experimentally tested on environmental samples. Marker specificity and sensitivity were assessed in vitro from water samples containing different mixtures of the target species and other five bivalves currently present in the region: the native Cerastoderma glaucum, Macoma balthica and Mytilus trossulus, the invasive Dreissena polymorpha and the cryptogenic Mya arenaria. Cross-species amplification was not found in any case. The method allows to detecting at least 0.4 ng of R. cuneata DNA per μl, and 0.1 g of tissue per liter of water. Finally, the marker performance was assessed in water samples from the Baltic Sea and Vistula Lagoon. The coincidence between independent visual observations of R. cuneata and positive PCR amplification of the marker from the water samples confirmed the efficiency of this highly reproducible, fast, and technically easy method. R. cuneata traces can be detected from environmental DNA even when the population is sparse and small, enabling rapid management responses and allowing to track the invasion dynamics.

Sclerochronological Measures of Seasonality at a Late Woodland Mound on the Mississippi Gulf Coast

Seasonality of site occupation has been an important issue in the archaeology of precolumbian coastal populations in the U.S. Southeast. Sclerochronological oxygen isotope measurements to estimate season of capture were performed on marsh clam (Rangia cuneata) and oyster (Crassostrea virginica) shells from a Late Woodland platform mound in coastal Mississippi. This study is the first oxygen isotope analysis of archaeological Rangia cuneata. The results of the study, supported by vertebrate faunal and plant seasonal indicators and depositional circumstances, indicate that mound trash deposits were generated by short-term activities during the spring and summer months. Factors that could reduce the precision of the seasonal estimates are identified.

Abundance and ecological significance of the clam Rangia cuneata (Sowerby, 1831) in the upper Barataria Estuary (Louisiana, USA)

We proposed that Rangia cuneata (Sowerby, 1831) is an important estuarine bivalve with ecological significance in three coastal lakes in Barataria Bay, Gulf of Mexico—Lake Cataouatche, Lake Salvador and Lac des Allemands. Our goals were to determine the abundance and distribution of Rangia in these lakes and to measure clearance times to elucidate its potential impacts on phytoplankton communities. The estimated average densities of R. cuneata in Lake Cataouatche, Lake Salvador, and Lac des Allemands were 63, 157, and 107 individuals m−2, respectively, which is 30% lower than that observed in nearby Lake Pontchartrain. The size of clams in Lake Salvador was between 4 and 50 mm, while individuals in Lake Cataouatche and Lac des Allemands were mostly >20 mm. We postulate that a relatively infrequent large tropical storm transported the larvae from Lake Salvador to the other two lakes 1 year before our sampling to create this size difference. The clams were up to 99.9% of the total benthic biomass in Lake Salvador, 15.9% in Lake Cataouatche, and 40.0% in Lac des Allemands. The R. cuneata biomass values were between 16.2 and 27.6 g m−2 and the clearance times were 1.0–1.5 days. The clearance times are among the highest previously reported for coastal bivalve communities, which were from cooler climates. The results demonstrate that Rangia can be a critical part of the ecological processes in shallow water systems of the Gulf of Mexico.

Radiocarbon deficiencies of US Gulf Coast lakes compromise paleo-hurricane records

Radiocarbon assays of sediments from Lake Shelby, US Gulf Coast, exhibit substantial 14C deficiencies of 9.3% and 4.7% for the limnic sapropel and associated fresh-water clams Rangia cuneata, respectively. Measured radiocarbon dates from the sapropel and clams require corrections of 785 ± 80 and 365 ± 90 14C yr (1 σ), respectively, in order to achieve consistency with the radiocarbon time scale. Lake sediments of the US Gulf Coast serve as unique repositories of pre-historic hurricane strikes. Previously unrecognized radiocarbon deficiencies likely render compromised chronologies of the paleo-hurricane records, and erroneous estimates of return period and landfall probability that are derived from the storm chronologies. The recalculated severe hurricane chronologies suggest that the annual landfall probabilities of the last millennium on the US Gulf Coast are equal to, or higher than, the preceding three millennia.

First European record of the invasive brackish water clam Rangia cuneata (G.B. Sowerby I, 1831) (Mollusca: Bivalvia)

* Corresponding author Abstract A population of Rangia cuneata (G.B. Sowerby I, 1831), an estuarine bivalve, has been recorded in the harbour of Antwerp, Belgium. This species is new to the European brackish water fauna. After initially finding only a few small individuals in August 2005, R. cuneata was encountered frequently in the pipes of the cooling water system of an industrial plant from February 2006 onwards. Before this present record, R. cuneata was only known from the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic coast of North America.

An Integrated Case Study for Evaluating the Impacts of an Oil Refinery Effluent on Aquatic Biota in the Delaware River: Bivalve Bioavailability Studies

ABSTRACT The objectives of this study were to (1) determine the bioavailability of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and other non-polar organics in resident brackish water clams (Rangia cuneata) at selected sites near an oil refinery; (2) determine if the tissue burdens were causing adverse effects to the clams, and (3) evaluate potential seasonal variations from reproduction in clams taken from the same beds in the spring and fall. Clams were evaluated from three beds located in the refinery discharge plume (near-field stations), three beds located up river outside of the Refinery effluent plume (north far-field), and three beds down river (south far-field) of the Refinery plume. Total PAH concentrations in the tissues of the near-field clams were significantly higher than in the clams located at the far-field stations in both the spring and fall. Total PAH concentrations of the near-field clams were significantly higher in the spring than the fall. No difference was found in total PAHs in the spring or fall in the far-field clams. Total pesticide and total PCB concentrations were significantly higher in the spring than the fall at all stations. The highest concentrations of both pesticides and PCBs were found at the north far-field stations. A tissue residue concentration analysis and three theoretical approaches for estimating detrimental effects to clams in both the near- and far-field suggested that no adverse effects should occur from total PAHs, total pesticides, or total PCBs. Some uncertainty, however, was associated with the theoretical approaches. An estimate of clam density in each clam bed showed that Rangia were growing and reproducing at all stations.

The Estuarine Clam Rangia cuneata as a Biomonitor of Dioxins and Furans in the Neches River, Taylor Bayou, and Fence Lake, Texas

Polychlorinated dibenzo-para-dioxins (PCDDs) and dibenzofurans (PCDFs) were measured in the tissues of the estuarine clamRangia cuneata at four sites in the Neches River that had been subjected to paper mill effluent and at two remote sites. One of the river samplings was taken before dioxin control measures and another 2 yr after the control measures began. Measurable concentrations of PCDD/Fs were present at all sites, but higher concentrations were present at the Neches River sites. Whole tissue concentrations of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-para-dioxin (TCDD) and all PCDD congeners for the two collections were not significantly different (p>0.05), but lipid-normalized concentrations for the two collections were significantly different (p<0.05). Highest concentrations of PCDDs at sites located 8 km and 16 km upriver from the paper mill effluent outfall indicated that the materials were transported upriver by saltwater intrusion and/or that nonpoint sources existed upriver. The presences of PCDD/Fs in clam tissues from the remote sites also indicated that other sources of these materials existed. Even under extreme physiological conditions (spent reproductive phase, low lipid contents, water temperature 10°C; ripe reproductive phase, high lipids, water temperature 32°C)Rangia cuneata was an effective biomonitor to determine the distribution of PCDD/Fs at specific sites. *** DIRECT SUPPORT *** A01BY069 00021

Prey preferences of blue crabs Callinectes sapidus feeding on three bivalve species

Individual blue crabs Callinectes sapidus were allowed to forage on 3 bivalve species (soft clam Mya arenaria; Atlantic rangia clam Rangia cuneata; hooked mussel Ischadium recurvum), with 2 of the 3 species made available together at one time in 220 1 aquaria. In 3 separate sets of experiments, we examined the blue crab's consumption and preferences between 2 bivalve species of different profitabilities [(net energy intake)/(handling time); J S ' ] : M. arenaria and R. cuneata, M. arenaria and I. recurvum, and R. cuneata and I. recurvum. These experiments also examined the effects of 3 additional factors on prey consumption and prey preference: prey location (near to or distant from point of introduction of crab), prey refuge availability (shallow or deep sand for the clams; detached or clustered for the hooked mussel), and prey density (high or low numbers). Profitability curves correctly predicted that the blue crab preferred the highly profitable soft clam over the less energetically profitable Atlantic rangm clam. When the difference between prey profitabllities was not as great (i.e. between the soft d a m and the hooked mussel, and between the Atlantic rangia clam and the hooked mussel) profitability alone was not a clear predictor of blue crab preference. Prey refuge availability significantly affected prey preference; deep sand provided (1) a greater refuge for the soft clam than for the Atlantic rangia clam and (2) a greater refuge for the soft clam than clustering provided for the hooked mussel. Prey location and refuge availability interacted to affect prey preference, in that prey location significantly affected prey consumption in shallow sand (more near prey than distant prey were eaten), but not in deep sand. Prey density generally affected total prey consumption, but not prey preference.

Hydrocarbon concentrations in sediments and clams (Rangia cuneata) in Laguna de Pom, Mexico.

Laguna de Pom is a coastal lagoon within the Laguna de Terminos system in southern Gulf of Mexico. It belongs to the Grijalva-Usumacinta basin, and is located between 18{degrees} 33{prime} and 18{degrees} 38{prime} north latitude and 92{degrees} 01{prime} and 92{degrees} 14{prime} west longitude, in the Coastal Plain physiographic Province of the Gulf. It is ellipsoidal and approximately 10 km long, with a surface area of 5,200 ha and a mean depth of 1.5 m. Water salinity and temperature ranges are 0 to 13 {per_thousand} and 25{degrees} to 31{degrees}C, respectively. Benthic macrofauna is dominated by bivalves such as the clams Rangia cuneata, R. flexuosa, and Polymesoda carolineana. These clams provide the basis of an artisanal fishery, which is the main economic activity in the region. The presence of several oil-processing facilities around the lagoon is very conspicuous, which together with decreasing yields has created social conflicts, with the fishermen blaming the mexican state oil company (PEMEX) for the decrease in the clam population. This work aims to determine if the concentration of hydrocarbons in the clams (R. cuneata) and sediments of Laguna de Pom are responsible for the declining clam fishery. 11 refs., 4 figs., 2 tabs.

The clam Rangia cuneata as a standard biomonitor of hazardous substances in Gulf Coast and southern Atlantic estuaries and inland waters

The clam Rangia cuneata as a standard biomonitor of hazardous substances in Gulf Coast and southern Atlantic estuaries and inland waters

Foraging ecology of the southern oyster drill Thais haemastoma (Gray): constraints on prey choice

The effect of shell size and density on the foraging ecology of the southern oyster drill Thais haemastoma (Gray) was studied because populations of these gastropods at two sites along the Louisiana coast differed in mean shell length, but always possessed aggregated dispersion patterns. In laboratory experiments, small snails (<30 mm shell length) could feed on small mussels ( Ischadium recurvum Rafinesque) with wet mass <2 g or small oysters ( Crassostrea virginica Gmelin) of < 36 g found in clumps, but they had less success on large mussels, solitary oysters with thicker shells, or the clam Rangia cuneata (Gray). When drills fed in groups, total numbers of prey eaten increased for each prey category, although per capita consumption rates increased only for prey categories with longer handling times such as oysters. Larger oyster drills spent less time handling prey and consequently had greater consumption rates for most prey types. Based on a per capita index of prey profitability (dry tissue consumed per prey/handling time·drill density −1), small oyster drills were predicted to prefer mussels. Large oyster drills (> 30 mm shell length) were predicted to prefer R. cuneata, but also to take a wider variety of prey species when feeding in groups. Prey profitability declined as the density of drills feeding increased, except for large, hard to handle prey like large mussels and oysters. Group feeding thus appears profitable only for large difficult-to-handle prey. Time-lapse videotaped feeding trials, with all three prey types available, were used to determine if oyster drills selected the predicted prey species. Small drills feeding singly preferred oysters, but did switch to the predicted prey, mussels, when feeding in groups. Large drills preferred R. cuneata, and had a somewhat broader diet when feeding in groups, as predicted. We suggest southern oyster drills select prey in an optimal fashion, but that predator size and density can set important constraints on prey choice. We also suggest that T. haemastoma may severely crop I. recurvum and R. cuneata at high salinities and limit these prey to low salinity areas of the Gulf coast.

Effect of multiple-locus heterozybosity and salinity on clearance rate in a brackish-water clam, Rangia cuneata (Sowerby)

Previous studies of several species of marine bivalves and gastropods have reported a positive correlation between growth or size and level of multiple-locus heterozygosity. There is some evidence that the growth advantage of relatively heterozygous individuals is due to a lower rate of standard or routine metabolism, compared with more homozygous individuals, although heterozygosity-dependent differences in feeding rate may also be involved. The present study examined the relationship between clearance rate in three salinity treatments (5,15, and 25%.) and multiple-locus heterozygosity at nine polymorphic allozyme loci in the clam Rangia cuneata (Sowerby). Clearance rates were determined by disappearance of an algal suspension from a flowing-water system. Allozyme genotypes were determined using starch-gel electrophoresis. The polymorphic loci examined were those coding for a nonspecific esterase ( Est), mannosephosphate isomerase ( Mpi), leucine aminopeptidase ( Lap), 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase ( 6-Pgd), phosphoglucose isomerase ( Pgi), isocitrate dehydrogenase ( Idh), malate dehydrogenase ( Mdh), adenylate kinase ( Adk), and phosphoglucomutase ( Pgm). Weight-corrected clearance rates increased significantly ( P < 0.05) with increasing multiple-locus heterozygosity and decreased significantly ( P < 0.05) with increasing salinity. These data support the idea that heterozygosity-growth correlations may be due in part to differences in clearance rate. However, further study is needed to understand the exact physiological processes which relate heterozygosity and growth.