Bivalve Mollusk Paleoecology: Trophic and Environmental
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BIVALVE MOLLUSK PALEOECOLOGY: TROPHIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL RECONSTRUCTION FROM STABLE ISOTOPES, SCLEROCHRONOLOGY AND SHELL DAMAGE by Carlos Edgar Cintra Buenrostro ________________________ A Dissertation Submitted to the Faculty of the DEPARTMENT OF GEOSCIENCES In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements For the Degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY In the Graduate College THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA 2006 2 THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA GRADUATE COLLEGE As members of the Dissertation Committee, we certify that we have read the dissertation prepared by Carlos E. Cintra Buenrostro entitled Bivalve Mollusk Paleoecology: Trophic and Environmental Reconstruction from Stable Isotopes, Sclerochronology and Shell Damage and recommend that it be accepted as fulfilling the dissertation requirement for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy _______________________________________________________________________ Date: May 12, 2006 Dr. Karl W. Flessa _______________________________________________________________________ Date: May 12, 2006 Dr. David L. Dettman _______________________________________________________________________ Date: May 12, 2006 Dr. Andrew S. Cohen _______________________________________________________________________ Date: May 12, 2006 Dr. Miguel A. Téllez Duarte _______________________________________________________________________ Date: May 12, 2006 Dr. Richard C. Brusca Final approval and acceptance of this dissertation is contingent upon the candidate’s submission of the final copies of the dissertation to the Graduate College. I hereby certify that I have read this dissertation prepared under my direction and recommend that it be accepted as fulfilling the dissertation requirement. ________________________________________________ Date: May 12, 2006 Dissertation Director: Dr. Karl W. Flessa 3 STATEMENT BY AUTHOR This dissertation has been submitted in partial fulfillment of requirements for an advanced degree at the University of Arizona and is deposited in the University Library to be made available to borrowers under rules of the Library. Brief quotations from this dissertation are allowable without special permission, provided that accurate acknowledgment of source is made. Request for permission for extended quotation from or reproduction of this manuscript in whole or in part may be granted by the head of the major department or the Dean of the Graduate College when in his or her judgment the proposed use of the material is in the interests of scholarship. In all other instances, however, permission must be obtained from the author. SIGNED: Carlos E. Cintra Buenrostro 4 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I thank my advisor K.W. Flessa for all his advice, and the enormous amount of time spent on corrections to improve not only my writing skills but also my science. I also thank all my committee members: Andrew S. Cohen, David L. Dettman, Miguel A. Téllez-Duarte, Richard C. Brusca, and Owen K. Davis for their constructive criticism, and their time. I thank M.S. Foster, and H. Reyes Bonilla for their teaching and advice on my behalf, for their friendship and for their always constructive criticism. I thank all of the students and faculty at Universidad Autónoma de Baja California, Ensenada, at the Friday Harbor Laboratories (FHL): Predator-Prey Interactions Summer 2004, and the Centro de Estudios de Almejas Muertas (CEAM) for the collection of some of the specimens used in this study. I also thank J. Campoy Favela (Director of “Reserva de la Biósfera Alto Golfo de California y Delta del Río Colorado”) for his assistance in my research on the Colorado Delta, and R. Soberanes for skillful navigation in the estuary’s shallow waters. I thank K. Rowell, T. Shanahan, D. Balch, M. Kowalewski, L. Leighton, D.H. Goodwin, and B. Schöne for constructive criticism and joyful discussions. I thank all of the reviewers - listed in each manuscript - of the several drafts of the manuscripts contained here; each of you made this dissertation possible. Nonetheless, any reminding mistakes are mine. I thank D. Winter (UC Davis), N. English, M. Ducea, E.R. Fromm Rihm, L. Zurcher, C. Eastoe, and D.H. Goodwin for laboratory and software assistance. I thank CONACyT; NSF; FHL; Dept. of Geosciences, and School of Natural Resources, University of Arizona; T&E, Inc.; and Environmental Defense for financial aid on my behalf. Last but not least, I thank all my friends (sorry, guys I won’t list you individually because I may forget one, and because space is too limited to show how lucky I am to have you all) for being here and for making Tucson a bit more enjoyable. 5 DEDICATION This dissertation is dedicated, first of all to my family and to my beautiful country, México. I have also dedicated each of the manuscripts to a special person in my life or to a good cause - in my opinion. 6 TABLE OF CONTENTS page LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS………………………………………….…………………..9 LIST OF TABLES……………………………………………………………………….12 ABSTRACT…………………………………….……..…………………………………13 EXTENDED ABSTRACT………………………………………………………………15 CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION…….………………………….………………………19 CHAPTER 2. PRESENT STUDY………………………………………………………23 REFERENCES………………………………………………………………………..…28 APPENDIX A. TRAMPLING, PEELING AND NIBBLING MUSSELS: AN EXPERIMENTAL ASSESSMENT OF MECHANICAL AND PREDATORY DAMAGE TO SHELLS OF Mytilus trossulus (MOLLUSCA: MYTILIDAE)…….…..32 I. Introduction…………………………………………….…………………………...35 II. Methods……………………………………………………………………….……37 III. Results…………………………………………………………………..…………42 IV. Discussion…………………………………………………………..……………..47 V. References……………………………………………………………..………...…58 7 TABLE OF CONTENTS - Continued page APPENDIX B.WHO CARES ABOUT A VANISHING CLAM? TROPHIC IMPORTANCE OF Mulinia coloradoensis INFERRED FROM PREDATORY DAMAGE……………………………………………………………………..……..…..76 I. Introduction………………………………………………………….……………...79 II. Locality and Methods………………………………………………………………82 III. Results………………………………………………………………..……………85 IV. Discussion…………………………………………………………..……………..86 V. References………………………………………………………………..……...…94 APPENDIX C. RESTORATION FLOWS FOR THE COLORADO RIVER ESTUARY, MEXICO: ESTIMATES FROM OXYGEN ISOTOPE VALUES IN THE BIVALVE MOLLUSK Mulinia coloradoensis………………………………………..…………...108 I. Introduction…………………………………………………………...……...……111 II. Materials and Methods………………………………………………………....…114 III. Results……………………………………………………………………………124 IV. Discussion………………………………………………………………………..126 V. References……………………………………………………………………...…137 8 TABLE OF CONTENTS - Continued page APPENDIX D. U.S. DAMS AND MEXICAN CLAMS: EFFECT OF COLORADO RIVER WATER DIVERSIONS ON GROWTH RATES OF THE ESTUARINE BIVALVE MOLLUSK Mulinia coloradoensis (MACTRIDAE: BIVALVIA)………..160 I. Introduction………………………………………………………………...……...162 II. Methods………………………………………………………………………...…165 III. Results……………………………………………………………………………171 IV. Discussion………………………………………………………………………..176 V. References……………………………………………………………………...…184 APPENDIX E. STABLE ISOTOPE DATA FOR APPENDICES C AND D……..…..207 9 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Figure page 1. Mussel (Mytilus trossulus) average length vs. width (mm) for all individuals, and within each size-class…………………………………………………………..………...68 2. Crab maximum carapace width (mm)………………………………………..……..…69 3. Breakage patterns in Mytilus trossulus shells…………………………..………….….70 4. Fragmentation in Mytilus trossulus shells produced by: a) predatory crushing, and b) trampling…………………………………………………………………..……………..71 5. Dead-mussels (Mytilus trossulus) shell breakage (%) after tumbling time……..…….72 6. Mechanical breakage patterns in trampled Mytilus trossulus shells…………..………73 7. Slivered chip breakage patterns in trampled Mytilus trossulus shells……………...…74 8. Mytilus trossulus shell damage (%) caused during each experiment and from field survey……………………………………………………………………...…..…………75 9. Colorado Delta, upper Gulf of California, and sample localities……….…………...106 10. Mulinia coloradoensis shell damages……………………..……………..…………107 11. Study area, and sample localities…………………………………………………...151 12. Mixing between freshwater and seawater in the Colorado River Estuary……….…152 18 13. Two typical δ Os profiles from Mulinia coloradoensis shells………………….…153 18 14. Average ± standard errors (bars) for all δ Os values at each locality…………...…154 18 15. Average ± standard errors (bars) for all minimum δ Os values at each locality…..155 18 16. Frequency distribution of estimated salinity values based on minimum δ Os at each locality under two end-member seawater temperatures………………………………...156 10 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS - Continued Figure page 17. Average ± standard error (bars) for estimated salinity at each locality…………….157 18. Comparison of salinity among localities…………………………………………....158 19. Average monthly discharges for the lower Colorado River prior to construction of dams……………………………………………………………………………….……159 20. Study area, and former geographic distribution of Mulinia coloradoensis as evidenced from shell deposits…………………………………………………………………...…196 21. Horizontal polished and etched section at shell margin showing semidiurnal growth- increments (dots) of: a) post-and, b) pre-dam Mulinia coloradoensis………………….197 22. Average Mulinia coloradoensis shell height………………………………...….….198 23. Observed micro-growth increment width (µm), estimated temperature (ºC), and time (solar days) since birth for post-dam individual IM-7-CCB…………………………....199 24. Continuous wavelet time-frequency spectrum for post-dam individual IM-7- CCB……..……………………………………………………………………………...200 25. Average number of fortnights in shells of Mulinia coloradoensis in post-and pre-dam samples………………………………………………………………………………….201 26. Cumulative