“…For example, freshwater mussel (Bivalvia: Unionidae, Margaritiferidae) shells are a common constituent of the archeological record throughout much of the United States. Despite being historically diverse and abundant, these animals are currently acknowledged as one of the world's most imperiled faunal groups (Bogan, 2008;Grabarkiewicz and Davis, 2008;Haag, 2009;Lydeard et al, 2004;Machtinger, 2007;Neves et al, 1997). Archeological mussel remains from waterways where modern biological surveys have not been carried out, or where previous historical data are limited in scope, can be very useful in an applied sense, as data obtained from shell-bearing sites can be used to establish pre-industrial ranges and expected natural proportions of species in river systems now extensively altered by impoundment and pollution (Mitchell and Peacock, 2014;Peacock, 2000Peacock, , 2002Peacock and Chapman, 2001;Peacock and Mistak, 2008;Peacock et al, 2014;Randklev and Lundeen, 2012).…”