PDF hosted at the Radboud Repository of the Radboud University Nijmegen The following full text is a publisher's version. For additional information about this publication click this link. http://hdl.handle.net/2066/93916 Please be advised that this information was generated on 2021-09-25 and may be subject to change. Key factors for spread, impact and management of Quagga mussels in the Netherlands J. Matthews G. van der Velde A. bij de Vaate R.S.E.W. Leuven Key factors for spread, impact and management of Quagga mussels in the Netherlands J. Matthews G. van der Velde A. bij de Vaate R.S.E.W. Leuven Final report 24 February 2012 Radboud University Nijmegen, Institute for Water and Wetland Research Department of Environmental Sciences & Department of Animal Ecology and Ecophysiology & Waterfauna Hydrobiologisch Adviesbureau, Lelystad Commissioned by Invasive Alien Species Team Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority Ministry of Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Innovation Series of Reports on Environmental Science The series of reports on Environmental Science are edited and published by the Department of Environmental Science, Institute for Water and Wetland Research, Radboud University Nijmegen, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525 AJ Nijmegen, The Netherlands (tel. secretariat: + 31 (0)24 365 32 81). Reports Environmental Science nr. 404 Title: Key factors for spread, impact and management of Quagga mussels in the Netherlands Authors: J. Matthews, G. van der Velde, A. bij de Vaate and R.S.E.W. Leuven Project manager: Dr. R.S.E.W. Leuven, Department of Environmental Science, Institute for Water and Wetland Research, Radboud University Nijmegen, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525 AJ Nijmegen, the Netherlands, e-mail: [email protected] Project number: 62001209 Client: Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, Invasive Alien Species Team, P.O. Box 9102 HC Wageningen Reference client: TRCPD/2010/3092 Orders: Secretariat of the Department of Environmental Science, Faculty of Science, Radboud University Nijmegen, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525 AJ Nijmegen, the Netherlands, e-mail: [email protected], mentioning Reports Environmental Science nr. 404 Key words: dispersal; dreissenids, ecological effects; invasive species; non-indigenous species Printed on environmentally friendly paper 2012. Department of Environmental Science, Faculty of Science, Institute for Water and Wetland Research, Radboud University Nijmegen, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525 AJ Nijmegen, The Netherlands All rights reserved. No part of this report may be translated or reproduced in any form of print, photoprint, microfilm, or any other means without prior written permission of the publisher. Contents Summary .............................................................................................................................. 4 1. Introduction .................................................................................................................... 7 1.1. Background and problem statement ....................................................................... 7 1.2. Research goals ....................................................................................................... 8 1.3. Outline of the report and coherence of research ..................................................... 8 2. Materials and methods .................................................................................................... 10 2.1. Literature survey ....................................................................................................... 10 2.2. Current distribution and relative abundance .............................................................. 10 2.3. Detailed sampling ..................................................................................................... 12 2.4. Analysis of presence and abundance in relation to environmental factors ................ 14 2.5. Influence of temperature and salinity on attachment ................................................. 14 2.6. Condition analyses in relation to water depth ............................................................ 15 2.7. Bioaccumulation of metals and implications for the food web ................................... 15 2.8. Effects of mussel fouling on native unionids ............................................................. 16 2.9. Statistical analysis .................................................................................................... 18 3. Current distribution .......................................................................................................... 19 3.1. Life cycle and biology ............................................................................................... 19 3.2. Current distribution of the Quagga mussel ................................................................ 20 3.3. Dispersal rate ........................................................................................................... 24 3.4. The influence of connectivity on distribution .............................................................. 24 3.5. Vectors of colonization .............................................................................................. 25 3.6. Direction of colonization ............................................................................................ 28 4. Potential distribution ........................................................................................................ 30 4.1. Physiological tolerance and presence in relation to environmental factors ................ 30 4.2. Effect of temperature and salinity on basal thread development ............................... 33 4.3. Influence of substratum on colonization .................................................................... 33 4.4. The effects of shipping on flow velocity ..................................................................... 36 4.5. Depth condition relationships .................................................................................... 37 4.6. Potential distribution map ......................................................................................... 38 4.7. Explanations for low mussel densities in the rivers Rhine and IJssel ........................ 40 5. Impact of the Quagga mussel ......................................................................................... 47 5.1. Macro-invertebrate composition in relation to mussel abundance ............................. 47 5.2. Implications of metal accumulation in mussels for food chains ................................. 48 5.3. Fouling of native unionid mussels ............................................................................. 49 1 5.4. Species replacement ................................................................................................ 52 5.5. Changes in food webs and energy flow .................................................................... 54 5.6. Effects on fish ........................................................................................................... 57 5.7. Effects on macrophytes ............................................................................................ 58 5.8. Effects on birds ......................................................................................................... 59 5.9 Parasites of dreissenid species ................................................................................. 60 5.10. Predators of dreissenid mussels ............................................................................. 61 5.11. Competition by other sessile species ...................................................................... 62 5.12. Economic consequences of dreissenid invasions ................................................... 62 6. Scope of management measures .................................................................................... 64 6.1. Preventive and management measures currently applied ......................................... 64 6.2. Water system approach ............................................................................................ 64 6.3. Management of colonization vectors ......................................................................... 66 6.4. Management strategies for biofouling of infrastructure .............................................. 70 7. Discussion ...................................................................................................................... 76 7.1. Hydrological connectivity and vectors of colonization................................................ 76 7.2. Direction of colonization ............................................................................................ 77 7.3. Presence and abundance in relation to environmental factors .................................. 77 7.4. Effect of temperature and salinity on byssal thread development ............................. 78 7.5. The effects of shipping on flow velocity ..................................................................... 78 7.6. Metal accumulation in Quagga mussels and implications for food chains ................. 78 7.7. Fouling of native unionid mussels ............................................................................. 79 7.8. Species replacement ................................................................................................ 80 7.9. Effects on macroinvertebrates .................................................................................. 80 8. Conclusions and