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DISTRIBUTICNAL ANALYSIS of the FP.Esh"WA'l'e.H MUSSEL FAUNA

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DISTRIBUTICNAL ANALYSIS of the FP.Esh DISTRIBUTICNAL ANALYSIS OF THE FP.ESh"WA'l'E.H MUSSEL FAUNA OF THE TENNESSEE RT·lER SiSTE.'1, WIT"'.d SPECIAL REF:::::",.ENCE TO POSSIBLE LIMITI:~G EFFECTS OF SILTATIO.\l by Sally D. Dennis Dissertation su~mitted to the Faculty of the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and Stat~ University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCIOR OF PHILOSOPHY in zoolog'J APPROVED: E. F. Benfi~la, Chairman r A. L. 3u1keiJ¢, Jr. A. c. Eehdncks l 1 R. A Paterson D. i1. ??irter H. van der Scha..:.:e August, 1984 B2.acksburg, Virginia DISTRIBUTIONAL ANALYSIS OF THE FRESHWATER MUSSEL FAUNA OF THE TENNESSEE RIVER SYSTEM, WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO POSSIBLE LIMITING EFFEcrS OF SILTATION by sally D. Dennis (ABSTRAcr} Mussel studies in the Tennessee River drainage (1973 - 1982} examined ecology and distribution and investigated factors limiting to distribution~ This river system presently supports 71 freshwater mussel species, 25% of which are endemic to the Cumberlandian Region. Species have been extirpated from this drainage within the past 60 years, however the number of extant species remains high. The major impact of man's activities has been reduction of available habitat Past and present distribution records indicate that mussel species assemblages are determined by geologic history and stream size. Although some overlap of species exists among stream size categories, there is no longer a continuous gradation from one category to the next; mussels exist in isolated conmunities separated by nonproductive river reaches. Productive reaches supporting more than 60 mussel species once existed in habitats spanning the transition from medium to large rivers; reaches now altered by impoundment. The maximum number of species reported in recent collections from any one site in the Tennessee drainage is less than 40, which seems to be the maximum number of species niches available. Quantitative sampling reveals characteristic patterns of species dominance. Changes in species dominance and age class structure provide a better basis for evaluating changes over time than do species composition or diversity alone. Mussel density was found to be more variable than species composition, and was unrelated to species abundance. Experiments on effects of siltation indicated that silt can be a significant limiting factor to mussel distribution. Transplant studies showed that mussels transplanted into heavily silted areas exhibited poor survival over a one year period compared to mussels moved to unsilted habitats. Results indicate that siltation may interfere with reproductive activity. Laboratory experiments testing the effect of suspended silt on the uptake of C-14 tagged algae by freshwater mussels showed that suspended silt can interfere with feeding. Food uptake was reduced to approximately 50% (of control) at silt levels of 211 to 820 mg/l, and to 80% at silt levels over 1000 mg/l. It was concluded that the limiting mechanism is one of dilution of food rather than direct interference with filtration or respiration. ACKNCMLEDGEMENTS First, I wish to thank the members of my cormnittee who have served long and well in this capacity for providing me with a diversity of interests and perspectives to draw on. I owe a special debt of gratitude to my chairman, Ernest F. Benfield, whose continued help, infinite patience, and undaunted faith inspired me to continue. Albert Hendricks was helpful in provding advice on algal cultures and feeding studies. Arthur Buikema provided constructive critisism and advice. Robert Paterson and Duncan Porter brought a broader perspective to my work. The editorial help I received from Ernest F. Benfield and Duncan Porter is especially appreciated. I would like to thank Henry van der Schalie for his long distance help and advice, and for an appreciation of the importance of geologic history to molluscan studies. I would also like to thank Garland Pardue, who served on my cormnittee for most of its duration for his advice on mussel tagging. Other faculty and students at Virginia Tech have offered help and advice throughout the years. provided invaluable aid in handling radioisotopes. Friends and professional colleagues at other institutions and State and Federal agencies have also provided assistance and encouragement. I am particularly thankful to , for the many helpful references he has provided. I wish to thank for providing me the opportunity to remain in Blacksburg to complete my work. iv People who have helped with field work over the years are too numerous to list. I am grateful to the many field assistants at the Tennessee Valley Authority for help with surveys, and especially , for help collecting quadrat samples. Many students at Virginia Tech also aided in field work. I am particularly grateful to , for help with mussel transplants, sediment analysis and numerous tedious details. A special thanks is due my partner, , for his continued support and encouragement, and for first introducing me to the study of freshwater mussels, and the mussel fauna of the Tennessee River system. The work included here was supported by a number of sources, including the Tennessee Valley Authority, 1974-1977; VPI & SU (contract with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 1978-1981; and Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, 1980-81. v TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKl'JOOLE!XiEMmf.I'S •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 1 v TABLE OF ~S ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• vi LIST OF TABLES •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• viii LISI' OF FIGURES •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• x11 PREFACE ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Xll.l. CHAPTER 1. MUSSEL DISTRIBUTION AND FAUNAL ASSOCIATIONS Introduction •••••..•..••••••••••••..•••.••••.••.••.••••••••• 1 Background ••••• ' ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 5 The Tennessee River •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 5 The Mussel Fauna •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 10 North American Faunal Assernblages •••••••••••••••• 10 Fauna of the Tennessee River •••••••••••••••••••• 11 Habitat Requirements of Freshwater Mussels •••••••••••• 14 Taxonomic Status of Freshwater Mussels •••••••••••••••• 17 Nornenclature ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 17 Systetnatics •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 20 Methods and Materials •.•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 23 Results •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 25 Discussion ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 46 Stream Classification ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 46 Small Streams •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 51 Medium Sized Streams ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 53 r,arge Rivers ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 54 Mussel Fauna related to Stream Size ••••••••••••••••••• 55 The Tennessee Drainage ••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 56 Muscle Shoals - A unique area •••••••••••••••••••• 62 Fauna! Associations ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 67 Small Streams •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 67 Small to Medium Sized Streams •••••••••••••••••••• 70 Medium Sized Streams ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 74 Medium to Large Sized streams •••••••••••••••••••• 79 Large Rivers ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 85 All Size Streams ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 89 Conclusions •.•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••.•.•••••••••• 92 CHAPl'ER 2. ANALYSIS OF MUSSEL COMMUNITY' STRUCTURE AT '!WO SITES IN THE CLINCH RIVER, TENNESSEE AND VIRGINIA Introduction •••••••••.•.••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 94 Methods and Materials •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 99 Results and Discussion ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••.••• 104 Quantitative Sampling of Fresh water Mussels ••••••••• 104 Analysis of Species cornposition •••••••••••••••••••••• 109 Analysis of Mussel Density •••••••••••••••••••••••••• 125 Age Class Distribution ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 133 Species Abundance and The Niche •••••••••••••••••••••• 141 Conclusions ••••••••.•.•••••••••••••••••••..•••••••.•••••.• 148 vi CHAPTER 3. SILTATION AS A LIMITING FACTOR TO FRESHWATER MUSSEL DISTRIBUTION IN THE TENNESSEE RIVER SYSTEM Foreward ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 150 Part 1, Field evaluation of effects of siltation on freshwater mussels Introduction •••.•••••.•••••.••••••.•.•.•••••..••••.•• 152 Methods and Materials •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 157 Results and Discussion ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 163 Mussel Transplant •..•••••••••...•...•..••..•.••• 163 Habitat Characterization •••••••••••••••••••••••• 173 Water Quality •••••••••••••••.••••••••••••••• 17 3 Substrate .•..••••••.•.•..•..•••••••••••.••.. 180 Part 2, Laboratory evaluation of effects of silt on feeding in freshwater mussels Introduction •.•.•..•••••....•.•.•••••.•.•_ •••••••••••• 188 Methods and Materials ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 193 Feeding Studies •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 193 Culture and tagging of algae ••••••••••••••••.••• 194 Mussel feeding •••••••.••.••.•••••••••••••••••••• 195 Analysis of Mussel Tissues •••••••••••••••••••••• 196 Results and Discussion ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 197 Feeding Studies ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 197 Suggested Mechanisms by which silt is limiting to freshwater rnussels •••••••••••••••••••••••••• 208 Conclusions ••••••••••••• -•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 212 GENERAL S~Y ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 213 LITERATURE CITED ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 216 -P.,:PPENDIX A ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 236 VIT.AE ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
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