The effect of tube trap structure on sampling efficacy and accuracy for golden mussel, <i>Limnoperna fortunei</i>

Abstract

The study was conducted to identify the effect of different types of tube traps on the sampling efficacy and accuracy for invasive golden mussels, Limnoperna fortunei (Dunker, 1857), at four sites in Japan. The traps consisted of PVC tubes (diameter: 5.5 cm; length: 20 cm) inside which a PVC plate was fixed horizontally as settlement substrate, and we examined two trap characteristics: mesh covering at the tube ends (present or not) and substrate texture (even or uneven). Mesh covering had a negative effect (P<0.001) and uneven substrate had a marginally positive effect (P=0.08) on mussel settlement density. A positive relationship was found between larval and settlement density in traps without mesh. These results imply that the most effective type of tube trap had no mesh covering and used uneven substrate. The settlement density of the mussels was also examined on several surfaces of the tube trap and the rope used to suspend the trap. The mussel density on the rope was higher than that on the PVC plates and tubes. The best correlation between settlement density and larval density occurred on the outside of the PVC tubes.

Limnoperna fortuneias an invasive biofouling bivalve species in freshwater: a review of its occurrence, biological traits, risks, and control strategies

“…In 2007, L. fortunei was found in the Tone River up to about 120 km from the estuary (Ito 2012). In recent years, it has been found in Minamishiio Reservior, Kasumigaura Pumping Station and Nagara River (Ito et al 2018), Ibaraki Prefecture (Osawa & Ito 2015), river systems in Honshu Island (Nakano et al 2015), and an urban tidal river inside the management area of the Osaka Public Works Bureau (Matsui et al 2019). With the increase in its density and distribution, L. fortunei have caused increasing damage to the infrastructure used in human activities in Japan, such as water purification plants, hydraulic power plants, and irrigation facilities (Magara et al 2001;Nakano & Strayer 2014).…”

Use of environmental DNA to survey the distribution of the invasive mussel <i>Limnoperna fortunei</i> in farm ponds

“…The golden mussel is usually detected in freshwater systems by performing a visual census (Darrigran & de Drago 2000, Darrigran & Pastorino 1995, Ito 2008, using artificial substrata (Bergonci et al 2009, Boltovskoy & Cataldo 1999, Ito et al 2018, and/or collecting planktonic larvae (Cataldo & Boltovskoy 2000). Using these methods, however, makes it difficult to detect the mussel under lowdensity conditions (i.e., early stage of invasion).…”