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Burrowing behavior protects a threatened freshwater mussel in drying rivers

  • FRESHWATER MOLLUSCS
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Abstract

Reduced streamflow because of climate change presents a major threat to aquatic biodiversity in arid, semi-arid and Mediterranean climatic regions. Freshwater mussels are particularly sensitive to this threat, because of their sedentary nature and limited mobility as juveniles or adults. The freshwater mussel Westralunio carteri, which is endemic to south-western Australia, has undergone a 49% reduction in range in the last 50 years, and a drying climate presents substantial extinction risk, as highlighted by two recent cases of mass mortality. Experimental studies found that mussels respond to water emersion by first tracking receding water levels, then burrowing. The amount of horizontal movement by mussels was not affected by size, but smaller mussels initiated burrowing sooner and were also more likely to be predated if they remained on the surface. Burrowing and shading both significantly reduced mortality rate and increased survival time when mussels were exposed to drying; when shaded or allowed to burrow, mussels could survive at least 62 days out of water. Predicted future reductions in streamflow are likely to increase the mortality rate in W. carteri, but it may be possible to partially avert the adverse effects of drying rivers by increasing riparian shading.

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Acknowledgements

This research formed part of PhD degree fulfillments at Murdoch University for Le Ma and Michael Klunzinger. Funding was provided by the Holsworth Wildlife Research Endowment, the Australian Wildlife Society and the Swan River Trust. The authors declare no conflicts of interest. Permits and exemptions for all research were obtained from Western Australian Departments of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions and Primary Industries and Regional Development. Thanks to James Keleher for assistance with field work.

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  1. Samuel J. Lymbery

    Present address: College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Penryn, Cornwall, TR10 9FE, UK

  2. Michael W. Klunzinger

    Present address: Australian Rivers Institute, Griffith University, Nathan, QLD, 4111, Australia

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for Sustainable Aquatic Ecosystems, Harry Butler Institute, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA, 6150, Australia

    Alan J. Lymbery, Le Ma, Samuel J. Lymbery, Michael W. Klunzinger, Stephen J. Beatty & David L. Morgan

  2. Department of Aquatic Zoology, Western Australian Museum, Welshpool, WA, 6006, Australia

    Michael W. Klunzinger

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Lymbery, A.J., Ma, L., Lymbery, S.J. et al. Burrowing behavior protects a threatened freshwater mussel in drying rivers. Hydrobiologia 848, 3141–3152 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-020-04268-0

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