Evaluation of Freshwater Mussel (Unionidae) Populations in Southeastern Kansas Streams Final Report Kansas Department of Wildl
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
Evaluation of Freshwater Mussel (Unionidae) Populations in Southeastern Kansas Streams Final Report Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks Mike Hayden Secretary Prepared by: Thomas D. Mosher Fisheries Research Coordinator Joe D. Kramer, Director Doug D. Nygren, Chief Fisheries & Wildlife Division Fisheries Section March 2006 A Contribution of U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service State Wildlife Grant Program T-2 2 Evaluation of Freshwater Mussel (Unionidae) Populations in Southeastern Kansas Streams Thomas D. Mosher Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks P.O. Box 1525 Emporia, KS 66801 Abstract-Surveys of freshwater mussels were conducted in ten streams of Southeastern Kansas during the summers 2003-2005 to document composition and density of mussel populations, and to establish a data baseline to evaluate a ten-year mussel harvest moratorium on four of the streams that were open to commercial mussel harvest until January 2003. A minimum of 40 1-m2 quadrat samples were collected at each of eight sample sites in all streams, and timed searches were conducted on nine streams. Nearly 22,000 live mussels of 31 species were reported, but only five species were found in all sampled streams. Populations of Amblema plicata appeared to be repressed in streams formerly open to harvest. Recommendations are given to manage recovery of mussels in Kansas. Introduction Freshwater mussels are a highly imperiled group of animals in Kansas and the United States. In Kansas, 23 of approximately 40 species are listed as endangered, threatened, or species-in-need-of-conservation by the Kansas Department of Wildlife and 3 Parks. Yet, during the 1990’s, this group of fauna supported a profitable cottage industry in Southeastern Kansas for commercial shellers who harvested mussels for the cultured pearl trade. Because of declining mussel harvest and decreasing mussel populations a ten-year harvest moratorium was enacted for these animals by the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks beginning in 2003. The goals of this study were to document the composition and density of mussel populations in major Southeastern Kansas streams to facilitate management plans, and to develop a data baseline from which to evaluate the effects of the harvest moratorium. Methods Ten rivers were sampled quantitatively for native Unionid mussels in the summer of 1993, 1994, and 1995. The rivers sampled include: Marais des Cygnes River from Melvern Dam to Trading Post, KS; Pottawatomie Creek in Anderson, Franklin and Miami counties, KS; Marmaton River, Bourbon County, KS; Neosho River from John Redmond Dam to the Oklahoma Border; Cottonwood River, Chase and Lyon counties, KS; Verdigris River from Toronto Dam to Oklahoma Border; Fall River from Fall River Dam to Verdigris River; Elk River, Elk, Chautauqua, and Montgomery counties, KS; Grouse Creek, Butler and Cowley County, KS; and Walnut River, Butler and Cowley counties, KS from El Dorado Dam to the confluence with the Arkansas River. The Elk, Fall, Neosho, and Verdigris rivers were chosen because they were open to commercial- mussel harvest until January 2003 and data were needed to establish a baseline to judge the effects of a ten-year moratorium. Commercial harvesters had expressed interest in the other rivers surveyed, so these other six rivers were surveyed to determine the status of 4 native mussel populations. The Walnut River was also surveyed to determine how native mussels will be affected by zebra mussels Dreissena polymorpha which became established in that river in 2003. A minimum of eight sample sites were selected for each river. On the Verdigris, eight sites coincided with sites sampled by Miller (1992, 1999). Another eight sites were sampled upstream and seven sites downstream of these sites. Sites on Elk River, Fall River and the Neosho River coincided as closely as possible to sites sampled by Cope (1983) and Obermeyer et al. (1997). Except for one site on the Verdigris River and one site on the Marais des Cygnes River, sampling at each site consisted of 40 randomly chosen one-meter quadrats along a 100-meter stretch of river as described by Miller (1993). Additionally, timed searches were conducted at sites on the Marais des Cygnes River, Marmaton River, Pottawatomie Creek, Cottonwood River, Fall River, Elk River, upper Verdigris River, Grouse Creek and Walnut River. At most sites, live mussels within the quadrat were collected by hand, identified, measured, and returned to the water. In the Neosho River, live mussels were collected by shovel and screens. Populations in sample sites coinciding with those sampled by Miller (1993, 1999) were compared statistically with one-way ANOVA (Analytical Software 2000). The level of significance was chosen as 0.10 to rule out Type II error. Results A total of 21,971 mussels representing 31 species were sampled in 3,840 1-m2 quadrats and during 107 hours of searching at 97 sample sites in Southeastern Kansas. 5 The mean density per site ranged from 0.15/m2 in the Cottonwood River to 56.38/m2 in the Verdigris River, with the absolute low ranging from 0/m2 in every stream to 149/ m2 in the Verdigris River. The number of species per river ranged from 8 in the Walnut River to 24 in the Verdigris River. Marais des Cygnes River. A total of 2749 mussels representing 19 species were collected at 10 quadrat sites (Table 1) and 8 timed-search sites (Table 2). The mean density ranged from 1.80 to 13.90 mussels/m2 and the number of mussels collected per man-hour ranged from 9.7 to 94.0. The top five most numerous species sampled (Fusconaia flava, Amblema plicata, Quadrula pustulosa, Q. quadrula, and Obliquaria reflexa) comprised 84% of the mussels sampled within quadrats, and 80% of those in timed searches. Arcidens confragosus, Ellipsaria lineolata, Lampsilis teres, Pleurobema sintoxia, and Strophitus undulatus totaled less than 1% of the mussels sampled. Marmaton River. Amblema plicata comprised 58% of the 829 mussels representing 19 species that were collected at 8 quadrat sites (Table 3) and in 8 timed search sites (Table 4). The mean density per sample site ranged from 0.32/m2 to 2.18/m2 in quadrat samples, and 20.0 to 91.0 per man-hour of search time. Pottawatomie Creek. A total of 1039 mussels representing 20 species were sampled at 8 quadrat sites (Table 5) and 8 timed search sites (Table 6). The mean density of mussels per sample site ranged from 0.95/m2 to 4.35/m2, and from10.0 to 92.0 per man-hour of search time. Amblema plicata comprised 51% of the quadrat samples and 75% of those sampled at timed-search sites. Quadrula quadrula, the second most numerous species, comprised 13% of the sampled mussels, whereas Q. pustulosa the third most numerous, comprised 7%. 6 Neosho River. Quadrat samples yielded 861 mussels representing 17 species (Table 7). No timed searches were conducted in the Neosho River. The mean density per site ranged from 0.28/m2 to 6.42/m2. Quadrula metanevra dominated the sample with 47% of the sampled mussels followed by Truncilla doniciformis with 17% of the sample. A. plicata, the dominant species in commercial harvest, comprised only 2% of the sample. Cottonwood River. Only 534 mussels representing 15 species were sampled at 8 quadrat sites (Table 8) and 8 timed search sites (Table 9). The mean density per quadrat site ranged from 0.15/m2 to 2.25/m2, and the number per man-hour of search time ranged from 6.0 to 94.0. Tritogonia verrucosa, Q. quadrula, Leptodea fragilis, Q. pustulosa, and F. flava comprised 87% of the sample. Verdigris River. Three separate collection efforts were conducted on the Verdigris, one by contract with the University of Kansas and two by KDWP personnel. The University of Kansas personnel collected 1890 mussels of 24 species in 8 quadrat (Table 10) and 8 timed searches (Table 11) in samples between Toronto Dam and Neodesha, KS. The mean number of mussels sampled in quadrats by site ranged from 0.78/m2 to 12.78/m2, and the number sampled per man-hour of search time ranged from 14.0 to 64.0. These samples were dominated by Q. pustulosa (29%), Q. metanevra (23%), T. verrucosa (15%), F. flava (6%) and Obliquaria reflexa (6%). KDWP personnel sampled 5160 mussels representing 22 species (Table 12) between Neodesha and Sycamore, KS. The mean density per quadrat ranged from 4.62/m2 to 56.38/m2. These samples were dominated by Q. metanevra (29%), F. flava (20%), Q. pustulosa (14%), O. reflexa (5%) and T. verrucosa (5%). In the next 7 quadrat 7 sites between Sycamore and Coffeyville, KS, KDWP personnel sampled 3057 mussels representing 21 species (Table 13). The mean density per sample in this stretch ranged from 2.80/m2 to 30.28/m2. Again these samples were dominated by Q. metanevra (29%), and Q. pustulosa (17%), F. flava (9%), O. reflexa (9%), and T. verrucosa (8%). Fall River. A total of 2657 mussels representing 19 species were collected in 8 quadrat samples (Table 14) and 8 timed searches (Table 15). The mean density per quadrat ranged from 2.62/m2 to 11.62/m2, and timed searches yielded 23.00-79.67 per man-hour of search time. Five species, Q. pustulosa (22%), Q. metanevra (13%), F. flava (12%), O. reflexa (11%), and T. verrucosa (9%) comprised 67% of the mussels collected. Elk River. Collectors sampled 868 mussels from 17 species at 8 quadrat sites (Table 16) and 8 timed searches (Table 17). The mean density ranged from 0.30/m2 to 3.12/m2 per site in quadrat samples, and 19.00-90.00 per man-hour in timed-search sites.