Search results for "Margaritiferidae"
showing 3 items of 3 documents
Captive breeding of Margaritifera auricularia (Spengler, 1793) and its conservation importance
2019
Margaritifera auricularia is one of the most endangered freshwater mussels (Bivalvia, Unionida) in the world. Since 2013, the abundance of this species in the Ebro River basin (Spain) has sharply declined, driving the species to the verge of regional extinction. Therefore, any management measures that might facilitate the recovery of this species would be essential for its conservation. During 2014–2016, captive breeding of M. auricularia allowed the production of >106 juveniles, out of which 95% were released into the natural environment, and 5% were grown in the laboratory under controlled conditions. The aim of this experimental work was to establish the best culture conditions for the s…
Conservation status of freshwater mussels in Europe: state of the art and future challenges
2016
Freshwater mussels of the Order Unionida provide important ecosystem functions and services, yet many of their populations are in decline. We comprehensively review the status of the 16 currently recognized species in Europe, collating for the first time their life-history traits, distribution, conservation status, habitat preferences, and main threats in order to suggest future management actions. In northern, central, and eastern Europe, a relatively homogeneous species composition is found in most basins. In southern Europe, despite the lower species richness, spatially restricted species make these basins a high conservation priority. Information on freshwater mussels in Europe is uneve…
Relationship between the endangered freshwater pearl mussel Margaritifera margaritifera, its salmonid host and co-infectants
2018
The relationship between the freshwater pearl mussel (hereafter FPM), Margaritifera margaritifera, and its salmonid host — pivotal for the conservation of this endangered bivalve — is characterized by a long parasitic stage (up to 11 months) and excessive host specificity. This thesis focuses on this relationship by experimentally studying the effect of FPM infection on the growth and resistance of salmonid fish and how the infection influences vulnerability of the host to other parasites and diseases, as well as how exposure of the host to other parasites affects vulnerability to FPM. Infection with FPM results in (i) reduced growth of the host, brown trout, during the parasitic period. Gl…