Assessing mussel bed influence on stream ecosystem structure and function

Freshwater mussels are a diverse group of animals consisting of approximately 1000 species found worldwide. However, despite their diversity and range, freshwater mussels are imperiled disproportionately to other animal groups. Mussels serve critical biological, chemical and physical roles and their extirpation will likely alter the structure and function of the freshwater systems they inhabit. We are currently working in Copper Creek, Russell County Virginia, a stream known to be high in mussel biomass, to explore how mussel beds contribute to the structure and function of stream ecosystems. We are investigating the influence mussels have on suspended organic matter, their contribution to benthic organic matter, and their potential influence on nutrient cycling and stream metabolism. We are also investigating mussel beds as loci of macroinvertebrate and fish diversity. Through experimentally changing mussel density, we will attempt to identify ecosystem services that may be compromised or potentially altered due to the continued decline in native freshwater mussel abundance and richness. By understanding the potential loss in ecosystem services due to mussel decline, more aggressive and effective legislation, management, and conservation techniques can be employed to maintain critical mussel habitat.