Freshwater Mussels of the Powell River, Virginia and Tennessee: Abundance and Distribution in a Biodiversity Hotspot

Abstract

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Effects of environmentally relevant mixtures of major ions on a freshwater mussel

“…This idea also applies to the Powell River, where TDS concentrations are substantially higher in the upper reaches of the river and mussel populations have experienced long-term declines at monitoring locations downstream of these high TDS reaches (Ahlstedt et al, 2005;Johnson et al, 2012). However, our findings do not support the suggestion that chronic toxicity of major ions is the primary cause of declining mussel populations in these rivers.…”

“…Long-term water quality monitoring of the Clinch and Powell Rivers has documented increasing temporal trends of TDS concentrations since the 1960s (Price et al, 2011(Price et al, , 2014. Independent biological monitoring, initiated in 1979, has documented significant declines of freshwater mussel richness and density in sections of Clinch River and throughout the Powell River (Ahlstedt et al, 2005;Johnson et al, 2012;Jones et al, 2014). Recent research has found a spatial association between elevated TDS concentrations and declining freshwater mussel populations in the Clinch River; reaches of the river experiencing the greatest declines in mussel richness and density have elevated concentrations of major ions relative to other reaches of the river where mussel populations are stable (Johnson et al, 2014).…”

“…Recent research has found a spatial association between elevated TDS concentrations and declining freshwater mussel populations in the Clinch River; reaches of the river experiencing the greatest declines in mussel richness and density have elevated concentrations of major ions relative to other reaches of the river where mussel populations are stable (Johnson et al, 2014). In upper segments of the Powell River, TDS concentrations are greater than at any location in the Clinch River (Price et al, 2011) and severe declines of mussel richness and density have been observed in surveyed reaches of the Powell River located downstream of the high TDS reaches (Ahlstedt et al, 2005;Johnson et al, 2012).…”

“…Both river mainstems are established refugia for diverse biotic assemblages, as they remain free-flowing throughout Virginia and their watersheds have low human population densities relative to most other eastern USA areas. The Clinch and Powell Rivers support 49 extant freshwater mussel species, 21 of which are federally endangered (Johnson et al, 2012;Jones et al, 2014). However, surface coal mining occurs within upper portions of the Powell River watershed and in watersheds of the Clinch River's northwestern tributaries (Fig.…”

Spatial and temporal relationships among watershed mining, water quality, and freshwater mussel status in an eastern USA river

“…Rivers draining Appalachian mined areas include the Powell River of southwestern Virginia and northeastern Tennessee, which hosts exceptional biological richness and a high diversity of at-risk species that include multiple freshwater mussels (Johnson et al, 2012;Ahlstedt et al, 2005). Freshwater mussels (Unionidae) occur worldwide but achieve their greatest diversity in North America, especially in southeastern USA (Lydeard et al, 2004).…”