Journal of the North American Benthological Society

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Journal of the North American Benthological Society 24(2):381-394. 2005
doi: 10.1899/04-074.1

Potential effects of Asian clam (Corbicula fluminea) die-offs on native freshwater mussels (Unionidae) II: porewater ammonia

Naomi L. Cooper1a, Joseph R. Bidwell2a, Donald S. Cherry3b

aDepartment of Zoology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma 74078 USA

bDepartment of Biology, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061 USA

1

2To whom correspondence should be addressed.

3

Abstract

The Asian clam (Corbicula fluminea) occurs in most of the southeastern US, often sharing habitat with native unionid mussels. Clam populations can reach high densities and, under conditions of low water flow and warm summer temperatures, may experience rapid die-offs. Clams are infaunal, so the interstitial zone may be subject to elevated levels of ammonia and reductions in dissolved oxygen (DO) that could affect organisms such as native mussels that also use this habitat. We conducted laboratory experiments to characterize concentrations of total ammonia and unionized ammonia (NH3-N) produced in the sediment pore water and in overlying water as a result of clam die-offs. Sediment porewater NH3-N concentrations ranged between 0.013 and 5.56 mg/L, levels that were consistently higher than NH3-N concentrations in the overlying water. Levels of NH3-N in both pore water and overlying water were positively correlated with temperature and density of clams involved in the die-offs. NH3-N concentrations in chambers maintained at 28°C were 5.56 mg/L, 20× levels in chambers maintained at 19°C. Increasing clam density from 200 to 1000 individuals/m2 resulted in an increase in porewater NH3-N from 0.17 to 0.55 mg/L. NH3-N concentrations in some tests exceeded acutely toxic levels for some species of unionid mussels (0.022 to 5.56 mg/L). DO was always lower in pore water (2.01 to 6.74 mg/L) than in overlying water (5.02 to 8.67 mg/L) in chambers containing dead Asian clams, and low DO could have further exacerbated stress associated with exposure to NH3-N. Overall, our results indicate that NH3-N production and DO reductions associated with Asian clam die-offs could pose a risk to unionid mussels, particularly during warm low-flow summer months.

Received: July 13, 2004; Accepted: February 24, 2005

Keywords: ammonia toxicity, pore water, Asian clam die-offs, unionids



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Fig. 1. Mean (+1 SD) unionized ammonia (NH3-N) concentrations after 4 d in the overlying water and pore water of static-test chambers containing different densities of dead clams in standard-gravel substrate. Different numbers over bars indicate significant differences (p < 0.05) in NH3-N concentrations among clam densities within a water type (overlying or pore). Different letters over bars indicate significant differences in NH3-N concentrations between the overlying water and pore water within a given clam density

Fig. 2. Mean (+1 SD) unionized ammonia (NH3-N) concentrations after 4, 7, or 10 d in the overlying water and pore water of flow-through chambers containing 400 (A) or 1000 (B) dead clams/m2 in standard-gravel substrate. Different numbers over bars indicate significant differences (p < 0.05) in NH3-N concentrations among clam densities within a given day and water type (overlying or pore). Different letters over bars indicate significant differences in NH3-N concentrations between days but within a given clam density and water type. * indicates a significant difference in NH3-N concentrations between the overlying water and pore water within a given clam density and day

Fig. 3. Mean (+1 SD) unionized ammonia (NH3-N) concentrations after 4, 7, or 10 d in the overlying water and pore water of flow-through chambers containing 400 dead clams/m2 in standard-gravel substrate. Tests were conducted at 19°C (A), 22°C (B), or 28°C (C). Different numbers over bars indicate significant differences (p < 0.05) in NH3-N concentrations among temperatures within a given day and water type (overlying or pore). Different letters over bars indicate significant differences in NH3-N concentrations between days within a given temperature and water type. * indicates a significant difference in NH3-N concentrations between the overlying water and pore water within a temperature and day

Fig. 4. Mean (+1 SD) unionized ammonia (NH3-N) concentrations after 4, 7, or 10 d in the overlying water and pore water of flow-through chambers containing 400 dead clams/m2 in standard-gravel substrate. Tests were conducted at 5 mL/min (A), or 25 mL/min (B). Different numbers over bars indicate significant differences (p < 0.05) in NH3-N concentrations between flow rates within a day and water type (overlying or pore). Different letters over bars indicate significant differences in NH3-N concentrations between days within a given flow rate and water type. * indicates a significant difference in NH3-N concentrations between the overlying water and pore water within a given flow rate and day

Fig. 5. Mean (+1 SD) unionized ammonia (NH3-N) concentrations after 4 d in the overlying water and pore water of test chambers containing 400 dead clams/m2 in either standard-gravel substrate (A) or natural substrate (Little Black River sediment) (B). Tests were conducted under static or flow-through (5 mL/min) conditions. Different numbers over bars indicate significant differences (p < 0.05) in NH3-N concentrations between static and flow-through conditions within a given substrate type and water type (overlying or pore). Different letters over bars indicate significant differences in NH3-N concentrations between overlying water and pore water within a given substrate type and flow rate

table

Table 1. Ranges of dissolved oxygen (DO) concentrations and pH in the pore water and overlying water, and maximum porewater concentrations of total ammonia and unionized ammonia (NH3-N) observed in the test chambers in each of the experiments

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Abstract & References : Full Text : PDF (352 KB) : Rights & Permissions 

Caryn C. Vaughn, Daniel E. Spooner. (2006) Scale-dependent associations between native freshwater mussels and invasive Corbicula. Hydrobiologia 568:1, 331-339
Online publication date: 1-Oct-2006.
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Donald S. Cherry, Jennifer L. Scheller, Naomi L. Cooper, Joseph R. Bidwell. (2005) Potential effects of Asian clam (Corbicula fluminea) die-offs on native freshwater mussels (Unionidae) I: water-column ammonia levels and ammonia toxicity. Journal of the North American Benthological Society 24:2, 369-380
Online publication date: 1-Jun-2005.

Abstract & References : Full Text : PDF (220 KB) : Rights & Permissions 

 
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