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Ecosystem services provided by freshwater mussels

  • FRESHWATER BIVALVES
  • Review Paper
  • Published:
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Abstract

Ecosystem services are the benefits that humans derive from ecosystems. Freshwater mussels perform many important functions in aquatic ecosystems, which can in turn be framed as the ecosystem services that they contribute to or provide. These include supporting services such as nutrient recycling and storage, structural habitat, substrate and food web modification, and use as environmental monitors; regulating services such as water purification (biofiltration); and provisioning and cultural services including use as a food source, as tools and jewelry, and for spiritual enhancement. Mussel-provided ecosystem services are declining because of large declines in mussel abundance. Mussel propagation could be used to restore populations of common mussel species and their ecosystem services. We need much more quantification of the economic, social, and ecological value and magnitude of ecosystem services provided by mussels, across species, habitats, and environmental conditions, and scaled up to whole watersheds. In addition, we need tools that will allow us to value mussel ecosystem services in a way that is understandable to both the public and to policy makers.

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Acknowledgements

This article stems from a presentation at the Second International Conference on the Biology and Conservation of Freshwater Bivalves. I thank the conference organizers and participants, and Antonio Castro, Carla Atkinson, Daniel Spooner, Kiza Gates, Daniel Allen, Heather Galbraith, Brandon Sansom, Thomas Parr, Traci Popejoy, and Brent Tweedy for thoughtful conversations and comments. Antonio Castro assisted with Table 1 and Andy Vaughn drew the figures. Comments from Ronaldo Sousa and an anonymous reviewer improved the manuscript.

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  1. Oklahoma Biological Survey, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Graduate Program, Department of Biology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, 73019, USA

    Caryn C. Vaughn

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Correspondence to Caryn C. Vaughn.

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Guest editors: Manuel P. M. Lopes-Lima, Ronaldo G. Sousa, Lyuba E. Burlakova, Alexander Y. Karatayev & Knut Mehler / Ecology and Conservation of Freshwater Bivalves

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Vaughn, C.C. Ecosystem services provided by freshwater mussels. Hydrobiologia 810, 15–27 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-017-3139-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-017-3139-x

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