Amazonian freshwater mussel density: A useful indicator of macroinvertebrate assemblage and habitat quality

Simeone, Diego; Tagliaro, Cláudia Helena; Beasley, Colin Robert

doi:10.1016/j.ecolind.2020.107300

Cited by 11 publications

(16 citation statements)

References 34 publications

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“…Our study shows that declines in mussel density in the Caeté River were strongly associated with modifications in the landscape at the buffer scale, especially with predictors linked to riparian zone urbanization. These patterns were described by the same subset of predictors (% increase in MSE ) for Anodontites elongatus and especially Castalia ambigua , which underwent greatest declines in density (Simeone et al., 2021a ). Similar results were found by Cao et al.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 90%

“…In our study, percent of and distance from rural settlements, distance to the nearest street, and road density were especially associated with easy access to mussel beds. Mussels are harvested in eastern Amazonian rivers for the production of buttons (Beasley, 2001 ), and for medicinal use and food (Simeone et al., 2021a ). Therefore, easy access to mussels reduces costs for harvesting (Smit & Kaeser, 2016 ) and increases exploitation of these populations (Beasley, 2001 ; Cao et al., 2013 ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Therefore, easy access to mussels reduces costs for harvesting (Smit & Kaeser, 2016 ) and increases exploitation of these populations (Beasley, 2001 ; Cao et al., 2013 ). The decrease in mussel density may be catastrophic for the aquatic ecosystem of the Caeté River (Simeone et al., 2021a ), since they perform important ecological functions (Simeone et al., 2021b ). For example, mussels deposit feces and pseudofeces that serve as food for other species and increase water quality through filtration (Simeone et al., 2021b ; Vaughn & Hakenkamp, 2001 ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Two mussel species occur in the Caeté River, Anodontites elongatus and Castalia ambigua , of which the latter dominates the beds (Simeone et al., 2021a ). Anodontites elongatus is distributed from the Amazon‐Orinoco ecoregion to the southern Uruguay River.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In the Caeté River, harvesting drastically reduced mussel density between the years 2015 and 2017 at sites 1 and 2. However, mussel beds at the other sites are well conserved and have high mussel densities (Simeone et al., 2021a ).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Novel insights into habitat suitability for Amazonian freshwater mussels linked with hydraulic and landscape drivers

Simeone

Tagliaro

Beasley

2021

Ecology and Evolution

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Novel insights into habitat suitability for two Unionida freshwater mussels, Castalia ambigua Lamarck, 1819 (Hyriidae) and Anodontites elongatus (Swainson, 1823) (Mycetopodidae), are presented on the basis of hydraulic variables linked with the riverbed in six 500‐m reaches in an eastern Amazonian river basin. Within the reaches, there was strong habitat heterogeneity in hydrodynamics and substrate composition. In addition, we investigated stressors based on landscape modification that are associated with declines in mussel density. We measured hydraulic variables for each 500‐m reach, and landscape stressors at two spatial scales (subcatchment and riparian buffer forest). We used the Random Forest algorithm, a tree‐based model, to predict the hydraulic variables linked with habitat suitability for mussels, and to predict which landscape stressors were most associated with mussel density declines. Both mussel species were linked with low substrate heterogeneity and greater riverbed stability (low Froude and Reynolds numbers), especially at high flow (low stream power). Different sediment grain size preferences were observed between mussel species: Castalia ambigua was associated with medium sand and Anodontites elongatus with medium and fine sand. Declines in mussel density were associated with modifications linked to urbanization at small scales (riparian buffer forest), especially with percent of and distance from rural settlements, distance to the nearest street, and road density. In summary, the high variance explained in both hydraulic and landscape models indicated high predictive power, suggesting that our findings may be extrapolated and used as a baseline to test hypotheses of habitat suitability in other Amazonian rivers for Castalia ambigua and Anodontites elongatus and also for other freshwater mussel species. Our results highlight the urgent need for aquatic habitat conservation to maintain sheltered habitats during high flow as well as mitigate the effects of landscape modifications at the riparian buffer scale, both of which are important for maintaining dense mussel populations and habitat quality.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 90%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Novel insights into habitat suitability for Amazonian freshwater mussels linked with hydraulic and landscape drivers

Simeone

Tagliaro

Beasley

2021

Ecology and Evolution

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Experimental evidence associates burrowing behavior of Castalia ambigua (Bivalvia: Hyriidae) with shell shape and density

Reis

Simeone²,

Beasley

2023

Ecology and Evolution

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Information on freshwater mussel behavior in the sediment is scarce worldwide, especially in the Amazon. Laboratory experiments were used to measure the responses of the single mussel species Castalia ambigua in relation to combinations of two co-occurring different morphotypes (Morphotype I with an elongated shell and Morphotype II with a rounded shell), and three different densities (four, eight, and 16 mussels). Horizontal movements (cm) were calculated by summing changes in the position of each specimen and the shell exposure at the sediment-water interface was obtained by measuring (mm) the exposed part of the shell. Castalia ambigua presented different patterns of shell exposure and horizontal movements linked with shell shape and density. Castalia ambigua Morphotype I remained less exposed with 4 mussels. In contrast, this morphotype was more exposed and tended to aggregate in treatments with 8 and 16 mussels, similar to observations of Morphotype II at all densities. Morphotype II is mainly found in low hydrodynamic energy habitats, suggesting that patches with high densities may stabilize the substrate around the shells of Morphotype I, which is associated with high hydrodynamic energy habitats. We suggest that these patterns may be associated with intrinsic factors of the species, such as reproduction, sexual dimorphism and feeding. Moreover, additional studies using other mussel species belonging to the families Hyriidae and Mycetopodidae are important, since the behavior of these mussels in the sediment may provide useful information on their functional roles in river ecosystems.

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Relative importance of the environment and sexual dimorphism in determining shell shape in the Amazonian freshwater mussel Castalia ambigua (Unionida: Hyriidae) along a hydrological gradient

et al. 2022

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Shell shape variation of the freshwater mussel Castalia ambigua in relation to environmental and genetic drivers remains unresolved in South America. Along an increasing upstream to downstream hydrological gradient in the Caeté River, eastern Amazon, Brazil, we evaluated two co-occurring morphotypes of C. ambigua: the rst is elongated and compressed; the second is rounded and in ated. We performed multivariate shape analysis on the lateral view of the right valve and the umbonal view, to identify potential ecophenotypic trends. We also investigated whether the degree of shell in ation was associated with sexual dimorphism. Castalia ambigua shell shape differed along the hydrological gradient and between morphotypes. However, in high hydraulic energy habitats the two morphotypes tend to converge.In ated shells of C. ambigua corresponded to female specimens, implying that shell shape variation in low hydraulic energy habitats was associated with sexual dimorphism. We found strong evidence of ecophenotypic plasticity and variation in sexual dimorphism in the freshwater mussel C. ambigua, associated with a hydrological gradient. Ecophenotypic plasticity appears to override sex-linked shell shape determination in high energy habitats. Differences in shell shape and the identi cation of ecomorphotypes are important for management efforts, such as protecting the speci c habitats associated with both morphotypes.

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Amazonian freshwater mussel density: A useful indicator of macroinvertebrate assemblage and habitat quality

Cited by 11 publications

References 34 publications

Novel insights into habitat suitability for Amazonian freshwater mussels linked with hydraulic and landscape drivers

Novel insights into habitat suitability for Amazonian freshwater mussels linked with hydraulic and landscape drivers

Experimental evidence associates burrowing behavior of Castalia ambigua (Bivalvia: Hyriidae) with shell shape and density

Relative importance of the environment and sexual dimorphism in determining shell shape in the Amazonian freshwater mussel Castalia ambigua (Unionida: Hyriidae) along a hydrological gradient

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