Sensitivity of early life stages of freshwater mussels (Bivalvia: Unionidae) to copper

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dc.contributor.authorJacobson, Peter Jamesen
dc.contributor.committeecochairCherry, Donald S.en
dc.contributor.committeecochairNeves, Richard J.en
dc.contributor.committeememberBenfield, Ernest F.en
dc.contributor.committeememberHeath, Alan G.en
dc.contributor.committeememberFarris, Jerry L.en
dc.contributor.departmentBiologyen
dc.date.accessioned2014-03-14T21:52:02Zen
dc.date.adate2008-12-17en
dc.date.available2014-03-14T21:52:02Zen
dc.date.issued1990-05-05en
dc.date.rdate2008-12-17en
dc.date.sdate2008-12-17en
dc.description.abstractFour life stages of freshwater mussels were tested for their sensitivity to copper and a metal-containing effluent. This permitted an assessment of the variability in sensitivity among the life stages in order to identify those stages most threatened in the wild from copper exposure. Glochidia, while held within the marsupia of the adult, the released or isolated glochidia, the encysted glochidia, and the gravid mussel were tested. Little effect on glochidia was detected following 30- day artificial stream exposures of gravid adults to 19.1 ug Cu/L and an effluent containing an average of 23.9 ug Cu/L. Isolated glochidia were killed by copper concentrations ranging from 20-80 ug/L in 24-hour exposures, with sensitivity increasing with hardness and temperature. Encysted glochidia were resistant to exposures up to 400 ug Cu/L. No significant effect on metamorphosis to the stage was detected. This is likely due to the encapsulation of the glochidium by the host fish. Juvenile mussels reduced their activity during 24-hour exposures to copper concentrations as low as 17 to 24 ug/L and concentrations of 30 to 42 ug/L caused mortality. Juvenile mussels and glochidia within the marsupia are probably the two most sensitive stages in the life cycle of the freshwater mussel. Copper pollution will have its greatest impact in the summer, during periods of high water temperature and low flow.en
dc.description.degreeMaster of Scienceen
dc.format.extentxvi, 162 leavesen
dc.format.mediumBTDen
dc.format.mimetypeapplication/pdfen
dc.identifier.otheretd-12172008-063755en
dc.identifier.sourceurlhttp://scholar.lib.vt.edu/theses/available/etd-12172008-063755/en
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10919/46313en
dc.language.isoenen
dc.publisherVirginia Techen
dc.relation.haspartLD5655.V855_1990.J328.pdfen
dc.relation.isformatofOCLC# 22402428en
dc.rightsIn Copyrighten
dc.rights.urihttp://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/en
dc.subject.lccLD5655.V855 1990.J328en
dc.subject.lcshCopper -- Bioaccumulationen
dc.subject.lcshFreshwater musselsen
dc.titleSensitivity of early life stages of freshwater mussels (Bivalvia: Unionidae) to copperen
dc.typeThesisen
dc.type.dcmitypeTexten
thesis.degree.disciplineBiologyen
thesis.degree.grantorVirginia Polytechnic Institute and State Universityen
thesis.degree.levelmastersen
thesis.degree.nameMaster of Scienceen

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