Date Available
5-4-2020
Year of Publication
2020
Degree Name
Master of Science in Forest and Natural Resource Sciences (MSFNRS)
Document Type
Master's Thesis
College
Agriculture, Food and Environment
Department/School/Program
Forestry and Natural Resources
First Advisor
Dr. Steven J. Price
Abstract
Interactions between the Asian Clam (Corbicula fluminea) and freshwater mussels (Unionidae) have been documented, but the effect of food abundance on these interactions is not well understood. I examined the role of food abundance in modulating the growth and survival responses of juvenile Cumberland Bean (Venustaconcha troostensis) to Corbicula. I ran a series of controlled experiments in which I tested the effect of Corbicula on growth and survival of juvenile freshwater mussels in multiple environmentally relevant conditions of food abundance. Corbicula had no effect on juvenile mussel survival, regardless of food abundance. However, juvenile mussel growth was significantly related to the interaction between Corbicula biomass and food abundance in which the effect of Corbicula was dependent on food abundance. Corbicula had no effect on juvenile mussel growth at high food abundance but had a significant and positive effect on juvenile mussel growth at low food abundance.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
https://doi.org/10.13023/etd.2020.111
Funding Information
Funding for this work in 2019 was provided by the US Fish and Wildlife Service Ohio River Basin Fish Habitat Partnership, Kentucky Waterways Alliance, and US Forest Service Daniel Boone National Forest and Service Southern Research Station.
Recommended Citation
White, Drew Edward Jerry, "FOOD ABUNDANCE MODULATES JUVENILE MUSSEL (UNIONIDAE) GROWTH RESPONSES TO THE ASIAN CLAM (CORBICULA FLUMINEA)" (2020). Theses and Dissertations--Forestry and Natural Resources. 51.
https://uknowledge.uky.edu/forestry_etds/51
