Pre-Columbian Freshwater Mussel Assemblages from the Tallahatchie River in the Lower Mississippi River Alluvial Basin, U.S.A.

The concept of shifting baselines in conservation science implies advocacy for the use of historical knowledge to inform these baselines but does not address the feasibility of restoring sites to those baselines. In many regions, conservation feasibility varies among sites due to differences in resource availability, statutory power, and land-owner participation. We used zooarchaeological records to identify a historical baseline of the freshwater mussel community's composition before Euro-American influence at a river-reach scale (i.e., a kilometer stretch of river that is abiotically similar) in the Leon River of central Texas (U.S.A.). We evaluated how the community reference position and the feasibility of conservation might enable identification of sites where conservation actions would preserve historically representative communities and be likely to succeed. We devised a conceptual model that incorporated community information and landscape factors to link the best conservation areas to potential cost and conservation benefits. Using fuzzy ordination, we identified modern mussel beds that were most like the historical baseline. We then quantified housing density and land use near each river reach identified to estimate feasibility of habitat restoration. Using our conceptual framework, we identified reaches of high conservation value (i.e., contain the best mussel beds) and where restoration actions would be most likely to succeed. Reaches above Lake Belton were most similar in species composition and relative abundance to zooarchaeological sites. A subset of these mussel beds occurred in locations where conservation actions appeared most feasible. Our results show how to use zooarchaeological data (biodiversity data often readily available) and estimates of conservation feasibility to inform conservation priorities at a local spatial scale.

show abstract

“…; Peacock et al. ; Wolverton & Randklev ). Mussels have unique traits that make them excellent sources of zooarchaeological information.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…We used zooarchaeological data and a landscape ecology approach to identify river reaches for habitat preservation based on their mussel community and feasibility of conservation actions (Peacock et al. ). We obtained data on present‐day and pre‐EuroAmerican mussel communities from a river in the southcentral United States.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Prioritizing sites for conservation based on similarity to historical baselines and feasibility of protection

Popejoy

Randklev²,

Neeson

et al. 2018

Conservation Biology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…The most numerous family of this order is Unionidae, which comprises 753 species in 153 genera (Graf & Cummings, 2021). In archaeological studies, they are a group of marker organisms used in ''applied zooarchaeology'' (Peacock et al, 2016) for the reconstruction of past climatic conditions, as well as the palaeoenvironment and its changes, including those of anthropogenic origin (Mitchell & Peacock, 2014;Mitchell, 2017;Peacock et al, 2017). Moreover, they widen our knowledge of the population composition and natural distribution (biogeography), biodiversity in various water types before changes related to human activity (Mitchell et al, 2016).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Shell morphology, growth and longevity of Unio tumidus (Bivalvia: Unionidae) from an archaeological site and contemporary population inhabiting the Oder estuary

et al. 2021

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Mussel shells are often found in archaeological excavations and can provide information useful for ecological reconstruction and assessment of anthropogenic impact on waters. In this study, two sample groups of swollen river mussel (Unio tumidus) which occurred during the Early Middle Ages (EMS) and currently (MS) in the Oder river estuary (Baltic basin) were compared. Allometric shell growth, morphological characteristics of the shell (length, width, height and thickness), age structure and growth of mussels were analysed using the von Bertalanffy equation. All three types of allometric growth (isometry and both positive and negative allometry) were observed in the studied mussels. In both groups, typical values of shell length, width, height and thickness were recorded. However, higher values of these morphological characteristics were recorded in the EMS group. Moreover, the EMS group, compared with the MS group of U. tumidus, was characterised by a higher longevity (12 and 10 years, respectively) and asymmetric length (L∞) (93.09 and 83.23 mm, respectively). Both groups of mussels had a similar growth rate (k). Larger shell sizes in the EMS group were probably caused by differential preservation and/or differential archaeological recovery, and resulted from differences in the age structure, especially higher mortality rate amongst individuals older than 6 years in the MS group.

show abstract

Applying zooarchaeology: environmental and ecological perspectives from a prehistoric freshwater mussel assemblage on the Yazoo River, Western Mississippi, USA

Mitchell

Childress²

2021

Archaeol Anthropol Sci

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Pre-Columbian Freshwater Mussel Assemblages from the Tallahatchie River in the Lower Mississippi River Alluvial Basin, U.S.A.

Cited by 9 publications

References 20 publications

Prioritizing sites for conservation based on similarity to historical baselines and feasibility of protection

Prioritizing sites for conservation based on similarity to historical baselines and feasibility of protection

Shell morphology, growth and longevity of Unio tumidus (Bivalvia: Unionidae) from an archaeological site and contemporary population inhabiting the Oder estuary

Applying zooarchaeology: environmental and ecological perspectives from a prehistoric freshwater mussel assemblage on the Yazoo River, Western Mississippi, USA

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About