Aquatic Invasive Species
What Makes Golden Mussels So Invasive?
There are four primary characteristics that make these mussels incredibly invasive:
A colony of golden mussels clog a hydro powerhouse intake rack in Brazil.
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FREE SWIMMING LARVAE – Larval mussels swim in the water column for the first month of their life. Because they are free swimming and extremely small, they can be drawn into engines, ballast tanks, live wells and bilges, and be easily transported from one body of water to the next.
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BYSSAL THREADS – Zebra, quagga and golden mussels have byssal threads that allow them to attach to any stable substrate in the water including rocks, plants, fiberglass, plastic, cement, steel, and even onto other mussels creating a thick layer as seen in some of these photos.
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RAPID REPRODUCTION RATE – They have a very rapid reproduction rate, spawning year-round (if conditions permit), where 1 single female can produce up to one million eggs in a year.
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FILTER FEEDERS – Feeding off of plankton (the foundation of the aquatic food chain). It has been observed that a mussel can filter up to a liter in a day. Anything they have filtered through that they do not eat is rejected as a mucous known as pseudofeces. This pseudofeces is known to decrease DO and increase pH.
Quagga & Zebra Mussels
(Quagga Dreissena rostriformis bugensisand Zebra Dreissena polymorpha mussels)
Quagga and zebra mussel invasions have had catastrophic impacts in the ecosystems in which they have established. These organisms clog water intake structures (e.g., pipes and screens), which greatly increases maintenance costs for water treatment and power plants. Recreational activities on lakes and rivers are adversely affected as mussels accumulate on docks, buoys, boat hulls, anchors, and beaches can become heavily encrusted.
The shells of both mussel species are sharp and can cut people, which forces the wearing of shoes when walking along infested beaches or over rocks. Mussels adhering to boat hulls can increase drag, affect boat steering, and clog engines, all of which can lead to overheating and engine malfunctions. Ecological problems also result from mussel invasions. Zebra and quagga mussels can kill native freshwater mussels in two ways: (1) attachment to the shells of native species can kill them, and (2) these invasive species can outcompete native mussels and other filter feeding invertebrates for food. This problem has been particularly acute in some areas of the USA that have a very rich diversity of native freshwater mussel species.
Golden Mussels
(Limnoperna fortunei)
The Golden Mussel is a non-native invasive aquatic species of mussel. These species pose a significant and immediate threat to the natural ecosystems, water conveyance systems, infrastructure, and water quality in California and across the U.S. The invasive Golden mussel is a freshwater/brackish bivalve that has recently been detected in the Sacramento San Joaquin Delta.
Like their more established cousins, golden mussels are known to attach in clusters to hard surfaces like pipelines and other water system infrastructure, clogging pipes and screens. Clearing them from water facilities would be incredibly costly and time consuming, and would result in economic impacts to water conveyances, energy production, recreation, agriculture, and ultimately to the overall well being of many people.