Diversity, distribution, and habitat associations of non-native mollusks in the Chicago Region Jenny Par ([email protected]), Erin O'Shaughnessey, and Dr. Reuben Keller Institute of Environmental Sustainability, Loyola University Chicago Introduction Results Invasive species are those established plants, animals, Non-native Bivalves Distribution Non-native Snails Distribution and pathogens that are non-native and harmful to the ecosystem being examined. They are recognized as a Botanic Garden leading cause of biodiversity loss because their Quagga Mussel populations often grow rapidly and displace native species. Chicago is the largest metropolitan area within the Great Lakes basin and is a major transportation hub. Due to the close proximity to Lake Zebra Mussel Michigan, Chicago waterways are used extensively for commercial shipping and recreational boating which leads to higher chances for introduction and spread of non-native species. For this reason, it is a region where we expect new non-native species to be introduced in Asian Clam large numbers, and thus a region where management should be a priority. Objectives Faucet Snail u Create a database of native and non-native • Quagga Mussel mollusks distribution in the Chicago area and southern • Zebra Mussel • Faucet Snail basin of Lake Michigan • Asian Clam • Chinese Mystery Snail u Analyze relationship between distribution of non- o No non-native bivalves o No non-native snails Chinese Mystery Snail native mollusks and vectors of introduction and spread Species Native Region Vector Introduction Timeline Faucet Snail Solid ballast used in large timber transport ships or Europe, from Scandinavia to Greece Lake Michigan - 1871 Methods (Bithynia Tentaculata) with vegetation used in packing crates u Sampling for mollusks was conducted in the southern San Francisco -1891 Chinese Mystery Snail From Southeast Asia to Japan and Imported into the US and sold as a food source Hudson River -1867 basin of Lake Michigan and the Chicago Area Waterway (Cippangopaludia chinesis) eastern Russia Lake Michigan -1965 System during the summers of 2015, 2016, and 2017. Asian Clam Eastern Asia, Africa, Southeast Asia, West Coast -1938 u 2015 and 2017 consisted of Hester-Dendy samplers (N= Imported into the US and sold as a food source (Corbicula fluminea) Eastern Australia Illinois River - 1962 25 and 17 sites, respectively). During 2016, hard substrate Zebra Mussel Ukraine and Ponto-Caspian Sea Ballast Water Lake St. Clair -1988 was scraped using a metal D-frame net (N= 9 sites). (Dreissena polymorpha) u All samples were collected and immediately preserved Quagga Mussel Ukraine and Ponto-Caspian Sea Ballast Water Great Lakes - 1989 in ethanol. (Dreissena r. bugensis) u Mollusks were sorted and identified to species level and each species was classified as native or non-native. Conclusions Acknowledgements uThe Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal, Cal-Sag Channel, Thank you to Jeremy Tiemann and Rachel Vinsel from Illinois and Calumet River have greater diversity of non-native Natural History Survey for their help in the identification of mollusks than other sites. This is likely due to these waterways mollusks. Thank you to Loyola Undergraduate Research being part of a busy shipping route. Opportunities Program for funding. Special thanks to the u Mollusk communities at most sites are dominated by Illinois Department of Natural Resources. Thank you to quagga mussels. Zebra mussels were widespread but found Deirdre Turner and Bridie Hulsebosch for sorting assistance. in much lower numbers. Other species were not found in high numbers. u Future sampling should be focused on the southern part of References this region as this is where new species are most likely to 1. “Aquatic Invasive Species.” Minnesota Sea Grant, Hester-Dendy Multiple http://www.seagrant.umn.edu/ais/mysterysnail Square Plates Sampler become established. 2. Burch, John Bayard. Fresh Water Snails (Mollusca Gastropoda) Of North America. NEPIS, 1982. u The shipping industry and recreational boats should be 3. “Nonindigenous Aquatic Species.” U.S Geological Survey , https://nas.er.usgs.gov targeted for management as it is likely responsible for many 4. Thorp, James H., and Alan P. Covich. Ecology and Classification of North American Hester-Dendy 2017 Freshwater Invertebrates. 3rd ed., Elsevier, 2010. Sampling Set-up of the observed occurrences of non-native mollusks..