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Presented at the NABS Annual meeting, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 2002
in Unionid Ecology
DISTRIBUTION OF FRESHWATER MUSSELS, SNAILS AND CRAYFISH IN LONG CANE CREEK AND STEVENS CREEK SUBBASINS, SOUTH CAROLINA.
A.G. Eversole and S.M. Welch. Deptment of Aquaculture, Fisheries & Wildlife, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina, USA 29631
Freshwater mussels, snails and crayfish were surveyed at 30 sample sites in the Long Cane Creek (n=15) and Stevens Creek (n=15) subbasins. Habitat variables (root bank, logs/sticks/snags, rock/gravel riffle, mature leaf pack, aquatic vegetation, sedimentation and stream order) were scored and used to examine species-habitat distribution relationships. Although the habitat scores of the 2 subbasins did not differ significantly, species richness (n=17) in Stevens Creek subbasin was higher than that in Long Cane Creek (n=11). Crayfish and snail species richness was similar in the two subbasins whereas Stevens Creek subbasin contained significantly more mussel species. Of the three taxonomic groups, crayfish were collected at the greatest number of sites and mussel at the fewest sites.The relationships between habitat variables and the species presence/absence were significant for one of the 4 crayfish species collected, 2 of the 6 mussel species and 3 of the 6 snail species. These relationships and species distributions will be presented in the poster.
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