Community Classification and Distribution Patterns of Freshwater Mussels of Strawberry River, Arkansas

UMass Boston Campus Center Ballroom C

The purpose of this study is to determine if there are distinct communities of freshwater mussels in the Strawberry River, Arkansas, and if environmental variables influenced these communities. The Strawberry River watershed is located in the Ozark Mountains in northcentral Arkansas. Based on previous studies of interior highland mussels, we expected distinct low, mid, and high order stream mussel communities. Mussels were surveyed from headwaters to mouth and resulted in 38 species from 57 sites. Environmental variables of land cover, geology, soiltype, and drainage area were calculated at local and subwatershed scale using GIS. Mussel presence/absence and environmental variables were analyzed using Principle Components Analysis (PCA). Amblima plicata was the most abundant species, representing 17% of all individuals collected. The cumulative percent of variation explained for PCA axes 1 -3 for mussels and environmental variables were approximately 40% and 48%, respectively. Contrary to expectations, we did not observe distinct mussel communities. However, some environmental variables (developed open space, cultivated crops and alluvial soil at subwatershed scale and dolostone and alluvium at local scale) were correlated with the mussel PCA pattern.

Sujata Poudel. University of Massachusetts Boston, Biology Department, 100 Morrissey Boulevard, Boston, Massachusetts 02125

David E. Tenenbaum. University of Massachusetts Boston, Department of Environmental, Earth, and Ocean Sciences, 100 Morrissey Boulevard, Boston, Massachusetts 02125

John L. Harris. Arkansas State University, Department of Biological Sciences, P.O. Box 599, State University, Arkansas 72767. omibob@aol.com

Alan D. Christian. University of Massachusetts Boston, Biology Department, 100 Morrissey Boulevard, Boston, Massachusetts 02125