Aggregate Extraction Impacts on Unionid Mussel Species Richness and Density
Kentucky Reservoir on the Tennessee River supports a diverse freshwater mussel community including federally-listed endangered species. Resource extraction operations have been conducted on the Tennessee River since at least the 1920s. The condition of abandoned dredge sites as aquatic habitat for benthic organisms, including freshwater mussels, is relatively unknown. Objectives of this study were to determine the condition of abandoned dredge sites as aquatic habitat for freshwater mussels, compare species richness and density between sites in relation to years post dredging, collect...
