Quagga Mussel Dreissena Rostriformis Bugensis Research Articles

Environmental DNA survey indicates arrival of quagga mussel in Ticino River basin

The quagga mussel Dreissena rostriformis bugensis is an invasive species that has recently spread to Western Europe, causing major impacts on aquatic ecosystems and human activities. We considered lakes Lugano and Maggiore (Ticino River basin, Italy and Switzerland) to be at high risk of colonization due to leisure boat traffic from already-colonized lakes. We performed an environmental DNA based survey to detect any quagga mussel invasions in these lakes as early as possible. The results of the survey confirmed the presence of this species in the lakes and support the use of molecular approaches for the early detection of invasive mussels.

Impacts of invasive mussels on a large lake: Direct evidence from in situ control-volume experiments

Invasive dreissenid mussels have reengineered many freshwater ecosystems in North America and Europe. However, few studies have directly linked their filter feeding activity with ecological effects except in laboratory tests or small-scale field enclosures. We investigated in situ grazing on lake seston by dreissenid mussels (mainly quagga mussel Dreissena rostriformis bugensis) using a ‘control volume’ approach in the nearshore of eastern Lake Erie in 2016. Flow conditions were measured using an acoustic Doppler current profiler, surrounded by three vertical sampling stations that were arranged in a triangular configuration to collect time-integrated water samples from five different depths. Seston variables, including chlorophyll a, phaeopigment, particulate organic carbon and nitrogen, and particulate phosphorus, along with stoichiometric ratios and water flow over mussel colonies, were considered when estimating grazing rates. We observed suboptimal flow velocity for mussel grazing, i.e., 0.028 m s−1 at 0.1 m above bottom (mab), and resuspension was deemed minimal. Water temperature (mean: 25.1 °C) and an unstratified water column were optimal for grazing. Concentration of seston was low (mean: 0.2 mg L−1 particulate organic carbon) and decreased from surface to lakebed where noticeable depletion was observed. Grazing rates calculated at discrete depths varied substantially among trials, with maximum rates occurring at 0.25 or 0.5 mab. Positive grazing rates were restricted to 0.5 mab and below, defining an effective grazing zone (0.1–0.5 mab) in which the flow velocity, seston concentration, and water depth were consistently and positively correlated with grazing rates of different lake seston variables. Horizontal changes in stoichiometric ratios of seston were strongly associated with grazing rates, revealing higher uptake of particulate phosphorus than nitrogen and carbon. Our study supports the nearshore phosphorus shunt hypothesis, which posits that dreissenid mussels retain phosphorus on the lake bottom and contribute to a wide range of ecological effects on freshwater ecosystems.

Size matters? Species- and size-specific fish predation on recently established invasive quagga mussels Dreissena rostriformis bugensis Andrusov 1897 in a large, deep oligotrophic lake.

Since its first appearance in Lake Constance in 2016 the invasive quagga mussel Dreissena rostriformis bugensis has come to dominate the mussel community and now occurs in hyperabundant densities over the whole lake bottom. A lake-wide field study was conducted between 2019 and 2020 to obtain a systematic insight into the importance of this novel source of potential prey for the native fish community. In total 664 fish of 20 different species were caught and their digestive tracts were analysed. Meanwhile, quagga mussels were sampled to assess their calorific energy value by size and season. Regressions of septum length on maximum valve length were used to evaluate size-specific mussel consumption by the three dominant quagga-eating fish species. The study shows that nearly all benthivorous fish are able to forage efficiently on quaggas. However, in the case of one keystone species with very high commercial interest, the benthic whitefish Coregonus spp., quagga consumption is more limited as only individuals larger than 35 cm consumed quaggas in relevant amounts. The energy content of quagga mussels is positively size dependent with seasonal effect and elevated values during summer for medium- and large-sized mussels. Even at its peak, the calorific value of quaggas by weight is much lower than that of endemic aquatic invertebrates, while single mass is high. Future implications for fish stocks, food web integrity and possible fishery management options are discussed.

Variation in Trophic Niches of Fish in Lake Powell Prior to Full Colonization by Quagga Mussel (Dreissena rostriformis bugensis)

Invasive species can cause disruption of the trophic niche of resident species such that patterns of energy flow through ecological systems are altered. Quagga mussel Dreissena rostriformis bugensis Andrusov, 1897, a notorious invasive species, was introduced to Lake Powell (Utah and Arizona, USA) in 2012 and colonized the entire reservoir by 2017. To help understand potential effects of this invasive species on the trophic niche of fishes in Lake Powell, we characterized trophic niche of fishes and other organisms, as well as sources of variation in trophic niche, using stable isotope analysis of carbon and nitrogen prior to full colonization by quagga mussels. Trophic niche positions of fishes and other organisms in Lake Powell were consistent with other large lake or reservoir systems, consisting of 4 trophic levels and pelagic and littoral energy pathways. Trophic niche size decreased with increased trophic level among fishes, and there was high overlap in trophic niche among top predators. Trophic niche of fishes varied between northern and southern regions of the lake, among seasons, and, in some species, with body size. Basal trophic species (algae and chironomids) varied little between northern and southern regions and across years. Quagga mussels occupied a position in the food web where they were likely to directly impact the pelagic energy pathway, but resulting effects on trophic niche of fishes may be variable between regions of the lake.

Limited occurrence of the profunda morph of the quagga mussels (Dreissena rostriformis bugensis) in the Volga River reservoirs of Russia and limited genetic differences between morphs in Russia and North America

ABSTRACT The quagga mussel Dreissena rostriformis bugensis is a highly invasive species. It plays an important role in benthic communities, influencing their structure and functioning. Two morphs of this mussel have been described: a shallow-water (i.e. the typical) morph and a deep-water morph, profunda. Currently, profunda has been found in several water bodies only within the nonnative range of D. r. bugensis. In North America, the profunda morph is widespread and abundant in the Laurentian Great Lakes. In Europe, profunda was found for the first time in 2009 in the Cheboksary Reservoir, which is located on the central part of the Volga River. A 2016 search for profunda in the four deepest Volga reservoirs (Cheboksary, Kuybyshev, Saratov and Volgograd) failed to find this morph even at the site where it was found in 2009. Traditional and outline-based morphometric analyses showed that only the shallow-water morph individuals inhabited studied sites at depths of 25–33 m. The present study revealed that morphological differences between the typical and profunda morphs from both the European and North American ranges were accompanied by limited genetic differences. Microsatellite analysis showed only minor differences in allele frequencies between morphs sampled in 2019 from the Cheboksary Reservoir; these differences were not significant after correction for null alleles. High phenotypic and ecological plasticity of D. r. bugensis may facilitate its invasion success.

Safety and efficacy of Virkon® aquatic as a control tool for invasive Molluscs in aquaculture

Virkon® Aquatic is a broad-spectrum disinfectant used in aquaculture as a disinfectant for footwear, nets, and equipment for protection from bacteria, viruses and one fungus. Recent studies provided data to support Virkon® Aquatic as a tool to kill invasive molluscs and other organisms in aquaculture and field settings. This study reports the efficacy of Virkon® Aquatic to kill New Zealand mudsnails Potamopyrgus antipodarum and quagga mussels Dreissena rostriformis bugensis from aquaculture facilities. To address the safety of Virkon® Aquatic used in aquaculture and field settings, the safety limits of Virkon® Aquatic to Steelhead trout Oncorhynchus mykiss were tested. Short-term emersion of fingerlings for up to 3.5h in diluted concentrations of 30mg/L showed no observable toxic effects. Smaller fry were somewhat less tolerant but survived exposures for up to 5h in 10mg/L. We conclude that the risks to fish are low if residues of the chemical remained on equipment, or if containers with disinfecting concentrations of 20g/L were spilled into raceways or around fish holding systems. We suggest that this and additional studies may be helpful to support a label claim of this disinfectant for targeted invasive invertebrate species.

Thirty years of change in a benthic macroinvertebrate community of southwestern Lake Ontario after invasion by four Ponto-Caspian species

AbstractBeginning in the mid-1980s, the Laurentian Great Lakes underwent successive invasions by Ponto-Caspian species. We quantified major changes in the diversity and relative abundance of pre-invasion benthic macroinvertebrates at the same study site in southwestern Lake Ontario from 1983–2014. The zebra mussel Dreissena polymorpha Pallas arrived at the study site before 1991, the quagga mussel Dreissena rostriformis bugensis Andrusov and the amphipod Echinogammarus ischnus Stebbing arrived before 1999, and the Round Goby Neogobius melanostomus Pallas arrived about 2004. The macroinvertebrate community in 2014 was very different from 3 earlier communities in 1983, 1991, and 1999. In 2014, pulmonate and prosobranch snails and sphaeriid bivalves were absent, D. r. bugensis replaced D. polymorpha, E. ischnus replaced Gammarus fasciatus Say as the dominant amphipod, and a previously diverse community of benthic fish was replaced by abundant N. melanostomus. From 1983 to 1999, the relative abundance of pros...

Heading south: new records of the invasive quagga musselDreissena rostriformis bugensis(Andrusov, 1897) in France and further perspectives

Intensive malacological surveys coupled with environmental DNA analyses in France has led to the discovery of new populations of the quagga mussel Dreissena rostriformis bugensis (Andrusov, 1897), an introduced and invasive freshwater bivalve species. Molecular analyses confirmed the identification of the species based on a barcoding approach using both CO1 and 16S genes fragments. Discovered in 2011 in the rivers of north-east France, the quagga Mussel has now colonized the Rhone drainage. This advance represents not only the colonization of a new coastal drainage (the Rhone Rivers flows to the Mediterranean side of France), but also a spectacular 400-km leap south of its previously known range. Further expansion routes provided by canals between main coastal drainages are discussed. For the first time, we propose to use environmental DNA to assess absence, thus paving the way for future freshwater invasive species monitoring methods.

Efficacy of Commercially Available Quaternary Ammonium Compounds for Controlling New Zealand Mudsnails Potamopyrgus antipodarum

AbstractThe New Zealand mudsnail Potamopyrgus antipodarum is an invasive species that can be transported to and established in new bodies of water on gear used by aquatic professionals, anglers, and aquatic recreationists. Sparquat 256, a standard disinfectant for controlling the spread of mudsnails, was recently discontinued by the manufacturer. Our objective was to find an industrial‐strength, commercially available quaternary ammonium compound (QAC) that could replace Sparquat 256 for disinfection purposes. The efficacy of three products—Quat 4, Green Solutions High Dilutions Disinfectant 256 (GS 256), and Super HDQ Neutral (Super HDQ)—were tested using bath disinfection at multiple concentrations and exposure durations. For bath disinfection purposes, GS 256 and Super HDQ were the most effective. Super HDQ caused higher mortality rates at 48 h postexposure and was therefore tested and found to be highly effective for spray disinfection to prevent transporting mudsnails on field equipment. Regardless of the QAC chosen, we recommend a bath disinfection rate of 0.4% and a spray disinfection rate of 0.8% QACs in solution with an exposure duration of 10 min. These concentrations meet or exceed minimum effective disinfection requirements for quagga mussels Dreissena rostriformis bugensis, zebra mussels Dreissena polymorpha, whirling disease Myxobolus cerebralis, and chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis.Received January 8, 2015; accepted November 8, 2015 Published online March 22, 2016

The influence of pre-settlement and early post-settlement processes on the adult distribution and relative dominance of two invasive mussel species

The structure of a community is governed by a complex combination of processes whose relative importance varies over time and space. Larval dynamics, settlement and recruitment are thought to be important processes limiting adult abundance and distribution of benthic invertebrates with planktonic larvae. Two invasive molluscs with similar morphology and resource needs, the Eurasian zebra mussel Dreissena polymorpha and the quagga mussel Dreissena rostriformis bugensis, co-occur in several North American lakes and rivers but often differ in their adult distribution over depth. Following establishment, the quagga mussel typically replaces the zebra mussel in abundance, particularly in deeper waters. A field sampling programme conducted over 3 years in a lotic system (the Soulanges Canal connected to the St. Lawrence River) examined the extent to which adult distribution and the differential dominance of these two species are determined by larval supply (i.e. larval abundance near settlement sites), settlement and recruitment. Total dreissenid larval abundance in the water column at two depths was determined weekly, and larval competence (size) and species-specific larval composition was estimated, during the main settlement period over three consecutive years. The pattern of total dreissenid settlement over the depth gradient was determined by deployment of settlement plates at both depths. Total abundance and proportional abundance of zebra mussel and quagga mussel juveniles and adults in each depth zone were determined monthly from July to September each year. Mean dreissenid larval size did not differ between depths and the supply of late-stage larvae was generally low, but total larval abundance was consistently greater in deeper water. This differential larval abundance established settlement and recruitment patterns in the canal but contrasted predictions based on total adult dreissenid abundance – which was higher in the shallow zone. Therefore, the significant factor dictating the abundance of adult mussels in these two depth zones must be post-recruitment mortality, rather than larval supply, settlement or recruitment. Despite a strong species-specific adult depth zonation, larvae and juveniles showed no consistent differences in species proportions over the depth gradient. In fact, zebra mussels dominated larval abundance at both depths for c. 50% of the sampling dates and dominated juvenile abundance at both depths throughout most of the sampling period. In contrast, the proportional abundance of zebra mussels in the adult dreissenid community was consistently 4–5 times higher in the shallow zone. These results indicate that larval supply, settlement and recruitment processes are not responsible for determining total adult dreissenid distribution or species dominance. Rather, these patterns appear to be governed by post-recruitment factors that manifest themselves in later stages of mussel development and growth.

Recent change in summer chlorophyll a dynamics of southeastern Lake Michigan

Six offshore stations in southeastern Lake Michigan were sampled during a pre quagga mussel Dreissena rostriformis bugensis period (1995–2000) and a post quagga mussel period (2007–2011). Chlorophyll a fluorescence profiles were used to characterize chlorophyll a concentrations during early (June–July) and late (August–September) summer stratification. During the early summer period the average whole water column chlorophyll a, the deep chlorophyll maximum, and the size of deep chlorophyll layer decreased 50%, 55%, and 92%, respectively, between 1995–2000 and 2007–2011. By contrast, in late summer there were no changes in these metrics between periods. Surface mixed layer chlorophyll a in early and late summer did not differ between time periods. On the other hand, chlorophyll a in the near bottom zone (bottom 20m) declined 63% and 54% between 1995–2000 and 2007–2011 in early and late summer respectively. Changes in total phosphorus between 1995–2000 and 2007–2011 were less dramatic, with declines of 22–27% in early summer and 11–30% in late summer. Changes in the chlorophyll a conditions were attributed to dreissenid mussels which reduced material available from the spring bloom and disrupted the horizontal transport of nutrients to the offshore. Although light availability increased (i.e., increased secchi depths), reduced nutrient availability and spring diatom abundance resulted in a much smaller deep chlorophyll layer in 2007–2011.

Abundance and stomach content analysis of threadfin shad in Lake Mead, Nevada: Do invasive quagga mussels affect this prey species?

Lake Mead, Nevada is the largest reservoir by volume in the United States, as well as a popular sport fishing destination. In January 2007, the invasive quagga mussel Dreissena rostriformis bugensis (Andrusov, 1897) was discovered in the reservoir and concerns began to arise about potential alterations to the aquatic environment. The Lake Mead sport fishery is reliant on the sustainability of prey species like the threadfin shad (Dorosoma petenense (Gunther, 1867)). This study examined 20-year trends in historic abundance of the threadfin shad, before, and shortly after, the discovery of quagga mussels in the system. Larval shad trawl data collected in Las Vegas Bay and Overton Arm portions of Lake Mead were analyzed in the present study. Two-way analysis of variances showed that the abundance of this prey fish has not changed following quagga mussel invasion (P > 0.05). Post-quagga mussel discovery collections of adult threadfin shad from Las Vegas Bay ranged from 113 to 212 mm total length (TL) (mean = 184 mm; n = 170). Shad from Overton Arm ranged from 131 to 197 mm TL (mean = 150 mm; n = 27). Stomach contents were analyzed. The proportion of cladocerans in stomach contents differed significantly from spring to winter in Las Vegas Bay (P = 0.008); whereas the proportion of copepods did not show statistically relevant differences regarding seasonality (P = 0.562). Initial trends in lower trophic level dynamics in response to quagga mussel invasion has yet to reveal significant effects in Las Vegas Bay or Overton Arm. Long-term monitoring on threadfin shad is needed to evaluate potential impacts from invasive quagga mussels in Lake Mead.

Range expansion of the quagga mussel Dreissena rostriformis bugensis (Andrusov, 1897) in Western Europe: first observation from France

After the quagga mussel was found for the first time in Western Europe in 2006, upstream migration in the River Rhine was observed. Navigation is expected to be an important vector for range expansion in this river. It was only a matter of the time before the colonization of the navigable international River Moselle (a tributary of the River Rhine), which rises in France. The species was found in March 2011 at three locations in the French section of the river.

Distribution and invasion genetics of the quagga mussel (Dreissena rostriformis bugensis) in German rivers

The quagga mussel Dreissena rostriformis bugensis, native to the Dnieper and the northern Black Sea, has become a major invasive species in both the Volga River and the North American Great Lakes since the early 1990s. Findings in the Netherlands (2006) and Germany (2007) mark the start of its establishment in Western Europe. We investigated the current distribution, time of first arrival and population structure of D. rostriformis bugensis from the rivers Rhine, Main and in the Main-Danube canal in Germany. Two putative sources of the German populations were analysed by genetically comparing these populations to older invasive populations from North America and the southeast Danube. Dreissena rostriformis bugensis was abundant in the Main and in three Rhine harbours, but rare in the actual Rhine river and absent south of the Main-Danube canal. Mussels found in the Rhine harbours were significantly smaller than in the Main. Population genetic analyses found no sign of founder effects and minimal differentiation between German, North American and southeast Danube populations. The genetic data suggest that these invasive populations derive from a common and rapidly expanding source. Based on the non-continuous distribution and shell size differences of Rhine harbour and Main populations, our results indicate that expansion in Germany involved at least two independent settling events, one of which happened before 2005, and most likely was caused by jump dispersal.

Quagga mussels Dreissena rostriformis bugensis (Andrusov, 1897) in the Main River (Germany)

The first record of the quagga mussel Dreissena rostriformis bugensis (Andrusov, 1897) in Germany is described. This species has expanded its distribution area in Europe at a slower rate than the zebra mussel Dreissena polymorpha (Pallas, 1771). Recent records from the Danube in Romania and from an enclosed Rhine-Meuse estuary in The Netherlands, suggest that the Main-Danube canal and River Rhine have functioned as the dispersal pathway of the quagga mussel to The Netherlands. The record of this species in the River Main supports this hypothesis.

Range expansion of quagga mussels Dreissena rostriformis bugensis in the Volga River and Caspian Sea basin

In 1992, we discovered populations of the nonindigenous quagga mussel Dreissena rostriformis bugensis in the middle reaches of the Volga River. The same species was found in samples collected between 1994 and 1997 in the Volga delta and in shallow areas of the Northern Caspian Sea. D. r. bugensis always co-occurred with its more widespread congener, the zebra mussel D. polymorpha (Pallas 1771). The quagga mussel's contribution to total Dreissena abundance increased over time in the middle Volga reservoirs and Volga River delta. D. r. bugensis was common in the Volga portion of Rybinsk Reservoir during 1997 and, by 2000, it was in Uglich, Rybinsk and Gorky Reservoirs on the Upper Volga River. D. r. bugensis was neither found in Ivankov Reservoir, nor in terminal sections of the Volga-Baltic corridor including the eastern Gulf of Finland. Presently, all but the northern-most regions of the Volga River have been colonized by D. r. bugensis. We hypothesize that its introduction into the Volga River and Caspian basin occurred no later than the late 1980s via commercial shipping that utilized the Volga-Don waterway to navigate between the source Black-Azov Sea region and recipient areas on the Volga River. Larval drift likely contributed to establishment of populations at downstream sites, while human-mediated vectors may be responsible for introductions to upstream locations on the Volga River. We anticipate continued northward dispersal in conjunction with shipping activities.