06 Nov. 2015 - Nicoletta Riccardi

In muddy waters: the plight of World's threatened freshwater mussels

Presenta: Nicoletta Riccardi

CNR Istituto per lo Studio degli Ecosistemi, Verbania Pallanza

Freshwater mussels provide important ecosystem functions and services, yet many of their populations are in decline. Being nearly sessile, with a long span-life and a complicated life cycle, freshwater mussels are forcedly so vulnerable to environmental changes that they have been declining for decades and are among the most imperiled aquatic animals worldwide. Water pollution, habitat alterations and impact of alien species are overwhelmingly indicated as the major causes of mussel extirpation. Because nearly all mussel larvae (glochidia) are obligate parasites on fish, declines in host fish populations may also contribute to mussel declines. Even though the study of freshwater mussels has increased over the past few decades, their conservation still faces several challenges. Foremost, basic life history and distributional information of mussels and the habitat features that characterize refugia or are essential for mussels conservation are lacking for many species. In the present lecture, the conservation status in Europe and the knowledge gaps for addressing the major conservation issues are briefly presented.

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