WALKERANA VOLUME 15 NUMBER 1 MARCH 2012 Pages 1-10 Epioblasma capsaeformis (Bivalvia, Unionidae.) How a state-wide stream survey can aid in Jess W. Jones, Richard J. Neves understanding freshwater mussel (Bivalvia: & Eric M. Hallerman Unionidae) ecology: examples of utility and limitations from Maryland. Pages 45-59 Matthew J. Ashton A qualitative freshwater mussel (Bivalvia: Unionidae) survey of the Lamine and Pages 11-16 Blackwater River Basins, Missouri. Reproductive biology and host fishes of four Stephen E. McMurray, J. Scott Faiman unionids from the Lake Pontchartrain Basin, & Sue A. Bruenderman Louisiana, U.S.A. Wesley M. Daniel & Kenneth M. Brown Pages 60-68 Assessing accumulation and sublethal Pages 17-26 effects of lead in a unionid mussel. Recent monitoring of the freshwater mollusks Shad Mosher, W. Gregory Cope, Frank X. of Kinniconick Creek, Kentucky, with comments Weber, Thomas J. Kwak & Damian Shea on potential threats. Ryan Evans Pages 69-82 Thermal tolerances of freshwater mussels Pages 27-44 and their host fishes: species interactions Population performance criteria to evaluate in a changing climate. reintroduction and recovery of two endangered Tamara J. Pandolfo, Thomas J. Kwak & mussel species, Epioblasma brevidens and W. Gregory Cope WALKERANA, 35(1): Pages 27-44, 2012 ©Freshwater Mollusk Conservation Society (FMCS) WALKERANA The Journal of the POPULATION PERFORMANCE CRITERIA TO EVALUATE Freshwater Mollusk Conservation Society REINTRODUCTION AND RECOVERY OF TWO ENDANGERED ©2010 MUSSEL SPECIES, EPIOBLASMA BREVIDENS AND EPIOBLASMA CAPSAEFORMIS (BIVALVIA: UNIONIDAE) Editorial Board Jess W. Jones CO-EDITORS U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation, Gregory Cope, North Carolina State University Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061 U.S.A. Wendell Haag, U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service phone: (540) 231-2266; email: [email protected] Tom Watters, Ohio State University Richard J. Neves & Eric M. Hallerman Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation, EDITORIAL REVIEW BOARD Conservation Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061 U.S.A. Jess Jones, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service /Virginia Tech University ABSTRACT James Layzer, Tennessee Cooperative Fisheries Research Unit, Tennessee Tech University Genetic and demographic modeling of two endangered mussel species, Epioblasma brevidens and E. capsae- formis, in the Clinch River, U.S.A., was conducted to determine quantitative criteria to evaluate performance of extant Ecology and reintroduced populations. Reintroduction modeling indicated that the initial population size created during a 5 Ryan Evans, Kentucky Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Water y build-up phase greatly affected final population size at 25 y, being similar to the population size at the end of the Michael Gangloff, Appalachian State University build-up phase, especially when expected population growth rate was low (e.g., 1-2%). Excluding age-0 individuals, Catherine Gatenby, White Sulphur Springs National Fish Hatchery age-1 juveniles or recruits on average comprised approximately 11% and 15% of a stable population of each species, Caryn Vaughn, Oklahoma Biological Survey, University of Oklahoma respectively. Age-class distribution of a stable or growing population was characterized by multiple cohorts, including juvenile recruits, sub-adults, and adults. Molecular genetic and demographic data indicated that the ratio of Ne/Nc was ~5% for both species. Based on this ratio and predicted declines of genetic variation at different population sizes, Freshwater Gastropods target total sizes for reintroduced or recovered populations of each species should be ≥10,000 individuals (Ne=500), Paul Johnson, Alabama Aquatic Biodiversity Center respectively, and ideally should be comprised of multiple smaller demes spread throughout a river. Because of current Jeff Powell, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Daphne, Alabama barriers to dispersal and the low dispersal capability of some mussel species, reintroductions will play a prominent role Jeremy Tiemann, Illinois Natural History Survey in restoring populations in the United States. Reproductive Biology KEY WORDS Freshwater mussels, Endangered species, Epioblasma brevidens, Epioblasma capsaeformis, Jeff Garner, Alabama Division of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Genetic and demographic modeling, Population performance criteria Mark Hove, Macalester College/University of Minnesota INTRODUCTION 2000; Schwartz, 2008). More than thirty years later, Survey/Methods “There can be no purpose more inspiriting than some disturbed aquatic ecosystems are showing signs Heidi Dunn, Ecological Specialists, Inc. to begin the age of restoration, re-weaving the of improved water quality and physical habitat condi- Patty Morrison, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Ohio River Islands Refuge wondrous diversity of life that still surrounds us.” tions. However, many mussel species cannot re-colo- David Strayer, Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies Edward O. Wilson, The Diversity of Life nize previously occupied habitats because dams pre- vent dispersal of their host fishes. Reintroductions are Greg Zimmerman, Enviroscience, Inc. The 19th and 20th centuries were periods of now needed to restore populations and therefore are large-scale habitat loss, degradation and fragmentation recommended in the recovery plans of these endan- caused by dam construction and operation, and severe Systematics/Phylogenetics gered species (National Native Mussel Conservation pollution of aquatic ecosystems, with concomitant losses Arthur Bogan, North Carolina State Museum of Natural Sciences Committee, 1998; USFWS, 2004). Establishing new in biodiversity throughout the United States of America Daniel Graf, University of Alabama populations or boosting declining ones meets recovery (U.S.A.). During this period, freshwater mussel popula- Randy Hoeh, Kent State University plan goals and helps to reduce risk to species survival. tions declined greatly and are now considered one of the most imperiled groups of animals in the country The Clinch River in northeastern Tennessee (TN) Toxicology (Neves et al., 1997). The passage of landmark environ- and southwestern Virginia (VA) of the eastern U.S.A. Thomas Augspurger, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Raleigh, North Carolina mental laws in the U.S.A., such as the Clean Water Act contains a diverse mussel assemblage of 45 species, Robert Bringolf, University of Georgia (1972), Endangered Species Act (1973), and Surface with numerous endangered mussel species to include John Van Hassel, American Electric Power Mining Control and Reclamation Act (1977), have the Cumberlandian combshell (Epioblasma brevidens Teresa Newton, USGS, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center helped reduce impacts and raise public awareness (Lea, 1831)) and oyster mussel (E. capsaeformis (Lea, toward proper environmental stewardship (Stein et al., 1834)). Both species are endemic to the Tennessee WALKERANA, 35(1): Pages 27-44, 2012 ©Freshwater Mollusk Conservation Society (FMCS) WALKERANA The Journal of the POPULATION PERFORMANCE CRITERIA TO EVALUATE Freshwater Mollusk Conservation Society REINTRODUCTION AND RECOVERY OF TWO ENDANGERED ©2010 MUSSEL SPECIES, EPIOBLASMA BREVIDENS AND EPIOBLASMA CAPSAEFORMIS (BIVALVIA: UNIONIDAE) Editorial Board Jess W. Jones CO-EDITORS U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation, Gregory Cope, North Carolina State University Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061 U.S.A. Wendell Haag, U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service phone: (540) 231-2266; email: [email protected] Tom Watters, Ohio State University Richard J. Neves & Eric M. Hallerman Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation, EDITORIAL REVIEW BOARD Conservation Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061 U.S.A. Jess Jones, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service /Virginia Tech University ABSTRACT James Layzer, Tennessee Cooperative Fisheries Research Unit, Tennessee Tech University Genetic and demographic modeling of two endangered mussel species, Epioblasma brevidens and E. capsae- formis, in the Clinch River, U.S.A., was conducted to determine quantitative criteria to evaluate performance of extant Ecology and reintroduced populations. Reintroduction modeling indicated that the initial population size created during a 5 Ryan Evans, Kentucky Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Water y build-up phase greatly affected final population size at 25 y, being similar to the population size at the end of the Michael Gangloff, Appalachian State University build-up phase, especially when expected population growth rate was low (e.g., 1-2%). Excluding age-0 individuals, Catherine Gatenby, White Sulphur Springs National Fish Hatchery age-1 juveniles or recruits on average comprised approximately 11% and 15% of a stable population of each species, Caryn Vaughn, Oklahoma Biological Survey, University of Oklahoma respectively. Age-class distribution of a stable or growing population was characterized by multiple cohorts, including juvenile recruits, sub-adults, and adults. Molecular genetic and demographic data indicated that the ratio of Ne/Nc was ~5% for both species. Based on this ratio and predicted declines of genetic variation at different population sizes, Freshwater Gastropods target total sizes for reintroduced or recovered populations of