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Invasion dynamics of quagga mussels within a Southern California reservoir and its spatially intermittent watershed
Since its discovery in Lake Mead, Nevada in 2007, the invasive quagga mussel ( Dreissena rostriformis bugensis ) spread throughout the lower Colorado River drainage and into connected Southern California water systems. In December 2013, quagga mussels were found in Lake Piru, California, a reservoir...
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Published in: | Aquatic ecology 2023-06, Vol.57 (2), p.499-522 |
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Main Authors: | , |
Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
Subjects: | |
Citations: | Items that this one cites |
Online Access: | Get full text |
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Summary: | Since its discovery in Lake Mead, Nevada in 2007, the invasive quagga mussel (
Dreissena rostriformis bugensis
) spread throughout the lower Colorado River drainage and into connected Southern California water systems. In December 2013, quagga mussels were found in Lake Piru, California, a reservoir with no connection to the Colorado River drainage. An initial “boom” period occurred in the first year after colonization. High densities and settlement rates continued for three years while lake water levels were low and relatively stable, despite periodic removals of mussels from lake infrastructure. Mussels were initially restricted to hard substrates but were regularly found on soft sediments within two years of colonization. Storms in 2017 dramatically increased the lake level and deposited substantial sediment, which eliminated mussels on soft sediments and reduced the overall mussel population. Reproduction and juvenile settlement rebounded within 6 months, despite the low population of adult mussels in the lake. Environmental conditions, particularly fill status and water temperature, rather than adult density, appear to be the primary driver of veliger abundance in this system, while recruitment was primarily explained by veliger abundance. Elevated water releases from the reservoir increased the flux of veligers downstream and led to mussel recruitment > 15 km downstream. Sustained establishment of quagga mussels downstream has not occurred in the Santa Clara River and seems unlikely due to the unstable habitat conditions. However, periodic downstream colonization increases the likelihood for the infestation to spread and impact agricultural and municipal water systems that receive water from the river. |
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ISSN: | 1386-2588 1573-5125 |
DOI: | 10.1007/s10452-023-10025-x |