Healthy Freshwater Mussels = Healthy Waters

Transcription

1 Healthy Freshwater Mussels = Healthy Waters Danielle Kreeger Dee Ross Partnership for the Delaware Estuary

2 Freshwater Mussels What Are They? What Are They? Why are They Important? How Are They Doing? ORIENTA ATION What Can Be Done? Public Programming g Kurt Cheng, Drexel graduate student, contemplates recent discoveries of native mussels in unexpected places in tidal Delaware River, June 2014.

3 ORIENTATION Freshwater Mussels What Are They? Filter feeding Bivalves Elegant Life History use fish to reproduce Long Lived years

4 Freshwater Mussels Highest Biodiversity is in North America ~300 species 12 native species in Delaware River Basin ORIENTA ATION Streams, rivers, lakes, tidal fresh

5 Freshwater Mussels Why Important? Bioassessment Value International Mussel Watch Effluent Testing, Contaminant Monitoring Natural Resource Damage Assessment IM MPORTA ANCE State of Estuary/Basin Reporting Aquatic Life Ambient Water Quality Criteria for Ammonia, 2013 EPA 2012

6 Freshwater Mussels Why Important? Cultural Historical Native American Uses Pearl button history IM MPORTANCE

7 Freshwater Mussels Why Important? Ecosystem Services 1. Structural Ecology Habitat Complexity Stabilize Bottoms 2. Functional Ecology Suspended Particulates IM MPORTA ANCE Particulate N, P Light reaching bottom Sediment Enrichment Food dfor Predators

8 Biofiltration Potential Start No mussels 8 adult mussels Slide from Dick Neves, VA Tech

9 Biofiltration Potential Later No mussels 8 adult mussels Slide from Dick Neves, VA Tech

10 Water Quality & Grazing Impacts? Pennate Diatoms Centric Diatoms Detritus Complex Bacteria Protists IM MPORTA ANCE Phytoplankton

11 Freshwater Mussels Why Important? EcoServices Benefits to People and the Environment Examples: CTUIR Freshwater Mussel Project IM MPORTA ANCE Pathogen Removal might filter and digest harmful bacteria, protists Potential Organisms for medical sciences (e.g. cancer research) Water Quality potential restoration and management uses

12 Example 1: Brandywine River ~500,000 Elliptio complanata in 6 mile reach Filter >25 metric tons dry suspended solids per year Estimated Removal = 7.1 % IM MPORTA ANCE Data from Kreeger, 2006 Map from The Brandywine River Conservancy

13 Example 2: Tidal Delaware River Discoveries Millions of mussels 6 species, two that were believed locally extinct IM MPORTA ANCE

14 Delaware River Surveys Quadrats Goal: Determine if enough mussels still exist to makeadifferencefor a for water quality Transects Haul to shore Collect mussels Partnership for the Delaware Estuary, Philadelphia Water Department, 2012, 2014 Academy of Natural Sciences, EPA Region 3 Dive Unit, 2013, 2014 Maps Measure and ID RTK GPS Sample substrate

15 Physiologically-Based Water Filtration Estimate Location Area (m 2 ) Number Tissue Weight (g) Clearance Rate Bed Clearance Rate (L hr 1 g (gal day 1 1 DTW 1 ) g DTW 1 (gal day) ) TSS Filtration (kg DW 1 day 1 ) Site 1 4,230 23,163 74, , Site 2 18, , ,074 5,506, Site 3 13, , ,151 1,338, Site 4 35,525 1,662, ,163 3,253, Total 72,386 2,419,6821,893,597 10,509, =72.6 metric tons dry TSS per year Values updated from: PDE Report

16 Water Processing Estimate Elliptio complanata IMPORTA ANCE 4.3 Billion Elliptio 2.9Million kg Dry Tissue Weight = 9.8 Billion Liters per Hour

17 Delaware Estuary Oysters on Seed Bed Reefs Kreeger 2.0 Billion Crassostrea (Powell, 2003 data) Mean size = 0.87 g dry tissue weight (DK data) Clearance Rate = 6.5 L h -1 g -1 (Newell et al 2005) = 11.2 Billion Liters per Hour

18 Considerations Total filtration capacity for one fw mussel species (~10 billion L/hr) is >250X freshwater inflow from the Delaware River and other tributaries (not total volume) Water processing is estimated at current abundances IM MPORTA ANCE Current and future carrying capacity is poorly understood Many areas that should hold y mussels no longer do

19 Nature s Benefits Bivalve Shellfish h are Ecosystem Engineers Mussel Beds CTUIR Freshwater Mussel Project Oyster Reefs Kreeger

20 Nature s Benefits (Natural Capital) Livelihoods Lives Health Livelihoods Health

21 IMPORTANCE

22 IMPORTANCE FW mussels for Biofiltration Enhancement From: Bergstrom et al. (draft) In Review

23 Status and Trends? A Taxa in Decline Biodiversity Population Biomass ST TATUS

24 Freshwater Mussels The Most Imperiled Taxa ~75% of 300 species are imperiled STATUS The Nature Conservancy 2007

25 Delaware River Basin Patchy, Impaired Rare Extirpated State Conservation Status Scientific Name Scientific Name DE NJ PA ALASMIDONTA HETERODON DWARF WEDGEMUSSEL Endangered Endangered Critically Imperiled ALASMIDONTA UNDULATA TRIANGLE FLOATER Extirpated? Threatened Vulnerable ALASMIDONTA VARICOSA BROOK FLOATER Endangered Endangered Imperiled ANODONTA IMPLICATA ALEWIFE FLOATER Extremely Rare no data Extirpated? ELLIPTIO COMPLANATA EASTERN ELLIPTIO common common Secure LAMPSILIS CARIOSA YELLOW LAMPMUSSEL Endangered Threatened Vulnerable LAMPSILIS RADIATA EASTERN LAMPMUSSEL Endangered Threatened Imperiled LASMIGONA SUBVIRIDIS GREEN FLOATER no data Endangered Imperiled LEPTODEA OCHRACEA TIDEWATER MUCKET Endangered Threatened Extirpated? LIGUMIA NASUTA EASTERN PONDMUSSEL Endangered Threatened Critically Imperiled MARGARITIFERA MARGARITIFERA EASTERN PEARLSHELL no data no data Imperiled PYGANODON CATARACTA EASTERN FLOATER no data no data Vulnerable STROPHITUS UNDULATUS SQUAWFOOT Extremely Rare Species of Concern Apparently Secure ST TATUS

26 STATUS

27 STATUS 1919 Since 1996 From: Technical Report for the Delaware Estuary and River Basin, PDE, 2012

28 Culprits Stormwater Unstable Bottoms Water Quality Reduced Riparian Canopy Loss of Fish Hosts Dams, Habitat Degradation Exotic Species ST TATUS Photo by D. Kreeger

29 Freshwater Mussel Future Challenges Precipitation Flooding Fall Precipitation (Anomoly) Temperature Salinity Kreeger

30 Bivalve Projections FW Mussels Shifting Species Ranges, But No Dispersal Kreeger Patchy, Impaired Rare Extirpated Elliptio complanata Strophitus undulatus Alasmidonta heterodon State Conservation Status Scientific Name Scientific Name DE NJ PA ALASMIDONTA HETERODON DWARF WEDGEMUSSEL Endangered Endangered Critically Imperiled ALASMIDONTA UNDULATA TRIANGLE FLOATER Extirpated? Threatened Vulnerable ALASMIDONTA VARICOSA BROOK FLOATER Endangered Endangered Imperiled ANODONTA IMPLICATA ALEWIFE FLOATER Extremely Rare no data Extirpated? ELLIPTIO COMPLANATA EASTERN ELLIPTIO common common Secure LAMPSILIS CARIOSA YELLOW LAMPMUSSEL Endangered Threatened Vulnerable LAMPSILIS RADIATA EASTERN LAMPMUSSEL Ed Endangered d Threatened Imperiled LASMIGONA SUBVIRIDIS GREEN FLOATER no data Endangered Imperiled LEPTODEA OCHRACEA TIDEWATER MUCKET Endangered Threatened Extirpated? LIGUMIA NASUTA EASTERN PONDMUSSEL Endangered Threatened Critically Imperiled MARGARITIFERA MARGARITIFERA EASTERN PEARLSHELL no data no data Imperiled PYGANODON CATARACTA EASTERN FLOATER no data no data Vulnerable STROPHITUS UNDULATUS SQUAWFOOT Extremely Rare Species of Concern Apparently Secure

31 Observations Mussels are excellent indicators (long-lived and sensitive) Mussel populations are at historic lows (diversity, extent, abundance) Mussels need many things (water quality, flow, riparian cover, fish) Driver for Ecosystem Restoration? A simplified goal of restoring freshwater mussel biodiversity and populations would link physical-chemical-biological h i l l i l processes and influence diverse management and restoration actions WHAT CAN WE DO? Positive Feedbacks Mussel populations promote water quality and enrich ecology

32 Headwaters to Ocean Shellfish Restoration 1 1. Non tidal 2. Intertidal 3. Subtidal Bivalve restoration should not be viewed as replacing other key watershed restoration needs 2 3 WHAT CAN WE DO?

33 Freshwater Mussel Recovery Strategy WHAT CAN WE DO?

34 WHAT CAN WE DO? FWM Strategy Activity Areas See 15 bonus slides at end for more info on these activities

35 Desired Watershed Condition: A diverse and robust assemblage of native bivalves living in abundance in all available tidal and non tidal ecological l niches and providing maximum possible natural benefits WHAT CAN WE DO?

36 Technical Summary Freshwater mussels are the most imperiled animals nationally and locally Current populations help sustain water quality, and they deserve protection Populations can be restored to carrying capacity or this capacity might be increased WRAP - UP Protection and restoration of diverse species in different areas can drive ecosystem restoration and promote positive ecosystem feedbacks Outreach..

37 1. Surveys Determine current population status Identify sources for restoration Areas with Mussels: Prioritize for Conservation Areas without Mussels: Prioritize for Restoration Pyganodon cataracta Elliptio complanata WHAT CAN WE DO?

38 Qualitative vs. Quantitative Surveys Qualitative: Rapid methods, large coverage Data on species ranges, presence Most common, cost effective Quantitative: Intensive methods, smaller areas Data on densities, sizes Uncommon, more costly Only way to assess ecosystem benefits WHAT CAN WE DO?

39 2. Conservation Protect Listed Species Protect Ecologically Significant Beds Create Mussel Sanctuaries? WHAT CAN WE DO? Every Mussel is Precious

40 3. Assessment Stream Suitability Tests Toxicity Testing Fitness Monitoring Prioritize Restoration Streams WHAT CAN WE DO? Strategic Restoration

41 WHAT CAN WE DO? Important for Overwintering Gray & Kreeger 2014

42 4. Reintroduction Restock mussels in former range Reproductive adults Juvenile seed Track with electronic PIT tags Active filter-feeding by a mussel 15 minutes after reintroduced into a stream. WHAT CAN WE DO?

43 Reintroduction Pilots Pyganodon cataracta Elliptio complanata WHAT CAN WE DO?

44 5. Propagation Fastest and clearest way to boost stocks Technical challenges largely resolved Difficult to fund WHAT CAN WE DO? Working to Build Capacity

45 Larval Transformation Into Juveniles WHAT CAN WE DO?

46 Propagation and Reintroduction Juvenile Seed WHAT CAN WE DO? Photos, R. Neves, VA Tech

47 6. Habitat Restoration Substrate Suitability Flow/Food Conditions Incorporate mussel habitat into freshwater tidal living shorelines? WHAT CAN WE DO? Increase carrying capacity

48 7. Research & Monitoring Ecology Physiology Carrying Monitoring, Capacity Variability WHAT CAN WE DO?

49 Freshwater Mussel Recovery Program Goals Based on Ecosystem Services Millions of Liters Processed 2,000 Not including progeny 1,800 1,600 1, ,200 1, Years After Planting WHAT CAN WE DO?

50 8. Coordination Water Quality Advisory C Committee i Fish Consumption Task Force Regional Restoration esto at o Workgroup *Prospective Benthic Inventory Workgroup Toxics Advisory Committee STAC Fish & Wildlife Cooperative Regional Sediment Implementation Work kg Group Oyster Restoration Task Force Freshwater Mussel Work Group* MACWA MACWA Wetland Wetland Work WorkGroup Group Climate Work Group WHAT T CAN W WE DO? Monitoring Advisory Committee

51 9. Outreach (Dee Ross) Volunteer Training Mussel Guide Web Portal WHAT CAN WE DO?