Document Type
Article
Publication Date
4-17-2024
Abstract
The Spring River of southeastern Kansas is home to a diverse assemblage of 34 mussels, many of which are imperiled. Elevated metal concentrations that resulted from past mining for lead and zinc in the Tri-State Mining District historically imperiled Spring River mussels, but this threat has abated over the last 20 years. Ammonia pollution may have replaced the threat of metals however, with potentially severe consequences for Spring River mussels. Our objectives were to evaluate spatiotemporal trends in density and richness of Spring River mussels in relation to changing concentrations of metals and ammonia. We accomplished this objective by performing quantitative mussel surveys across eleven Spring River sites during the summer of 2023, and we then compared our data to surveys performed during 1993-1995 and 2003-2005. We found that mussel densities had declined in the upper Spring River reach that historically was minimally-impacted by metals, while densities in the previously metal-contaminated reach above Empire Lake had increased. Mussel density and richness below Empire Lake were low historically and remain as such. These patterns were consistent with ammonia as the causative agent behind mussel declines in the upper reach, as concentrations were highest near the Missouri border and decreased downstream.
Recommended Citation
Holloway, Joshua, "Spatiotemporal Changes in the Imperiled and Diverse Mussel Assemblage of the Spring River in Response to Known and Emerging Pollutants" (2024). Oral Presentations. 2.
https://digitalcommons.pittstate.edu/papers_2024/2
