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Baker, P., S. Baker, and R. Mann, 1994. Criteria for Predicting Zebra Mussel Invasions in the Mid-Atlantic Region, Virginia Institute of Marine Science, College of William and Mary, Virginia Sea Grant College Program The following document is from the proceedings of a 1993 zebra mussel workshop, conducted in Baltimore, Maryland. At the workshop, forecasts were presented concerning the future of zebra mussel, Dreissena polymorpha, in the mid-Atlantic states. Criteria for Predicting Zebra Mussel Invasions in the Mid-Atlantic RegionThe following document is from the proceedings of a 1993 zebra mussel workshop, conducted in Baltimore, Maryland. At the workshop forecasts were presented concerning the future of zebra mussels, Dreissena polymorpha, in the mid-Atlantic states. What is the probability that zebra mussels will invade specific bodies of water within a given state? If they do invade, will they become economic and ecological pests as they have in portions of the Great Lakes? These and similar questions are addressed, with the expectation that management strategies can be developed to delay, mitigate, or possibly even prevent zebra mussel invasions, in some areas. The probability of invasion is related to the frequency with which a specific body of water is inoculated with zebra mussels and their ability to survive in that body of water. The variety of dispersal mechanisms, and the frequency and relative importance of each potential inoculation affect the overall chance that a reproducing population of zebra mussels will become established in a lake or estuary. Prior experience with zebra mussel invasions in Europe and other parts of North America indicates that, at least initially, population growth is not limited by predators, parasites, or other biological factors. Certain abiotic parameters however, seem to limit zebra mussel populations in Europe. For these reasons, the criteria for predicting zebra mussel invasion success in the mid-Atlantic region are primarily physical environmental parameters, and especially aspects of water chemistry. The degree to which a particular body of water conforms to the known optimum physiological requirements for zebra mussels is here termed its susceptibility. The second part of this document is a review of the physiological requirements used to predict susceptibility. For an example of similar predictions for other regions see Neary and Leach (1992). A second species of Dreissena, with at present only the common designation "quagga mussel" (its taxonomic identity is uncertain), has been found in parts of the Great Lakes and New York inland waters (May and Marsden, 1992). At present nothing is known about the dispersal or physiological requirements of the quagga mussel, other than that it lives with Dreissena polymorpha, and dominates some deep-water populations (Marsden, 1993). Throughout this chapter, Dreissena is used to indicate both the zebra mussel and the quagga mussel. Entire Paper |