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Sacred Heart University

Biology Faculty Publications

Zebra mussels

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Articles 1 - 2 of 2

Full-Text Articles in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

Negative Effect Of Zebra Mussels On Foraging And Habitat Use By Lake Sturgeon (Acipenser Fulvescens), D. J. Mccabe, Mark Beekey, A. Mazloff, I. E. Marsden Jul 2006

Negative Effect Of Zebra Mussels On Foraging And Habitat Use By Lake Sturgeon (Acipenser Fulvescens), D. J. Mccabe, Mark Beekey, A. Mazloff, I. E. Marsden

Biology Faculty Publications

1. Lake sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens) are threatened or endangered throughout much of their range. Juvenile sturgeon utilize sandy and silty habitats extensively during their growth. Invasive zebra mussels change the nature of sandy and silty habitats because they settle on and coat the habitat with the shells of living and dead individuals. The potential impacts of this increased habitat complexity on lake sturgeon is unknown. 2. Juvenile lake sturgeon habitat choice was assessed in laboratory experiments, and zebra mussel impact on the foraging success of juvenile lake sturgeon on three different prey species was measured. 3. Sturgeon foraging on chironomids …


Zebra Mussels Affect Benthic Predator Foraging Success, Mark Beekey, D. J. Mccabe, I. E. Marsden Sep 2004

Zebra Mussels Affect Benthic Predator Foraging Success, Mark Beekey, D. J. Mccabe, I. E. Marsden

Biology Faculty Publications

The introduction of zebra mussels (Dreissena spp.) to North America has resulted in dramatic changes to the complexity of benthic habitats. Changes in habitat complexity may have profound effects on predator-prey interactions in aquatic communities. Increased habitat complexity may affect prey and predator dynamics by reducing encounter rates and foraging success. Zebra mussels form thick contiguous colonies on both hard and soft substrates. While the colonization of substrata by zebra mussels has generally resulted in an increase in both the abundance and diversity of benthic invertebrate communities, it is not well known how these changes affect the foraging efficiencies of …