Assessment of Mussel Populations in Lake St. Clair, Michigan

Assessment of Mussel Populations in Lake St. Clair, Michigan

The purpose of this study was to determine the density of mussels on the floor of Lake St. Clair, Michigan and compare the data to a previous study conducted by Thomas Nalepa in 1992. SCUBA gear was utilized to reach the lake floor in order to determine the species and quantities within a .25 meter squared quadrant. Total numbers of mussels across the lake ranged from 0-114 per .25 meters squared. All mussels were concluded to be quagga mussels (Dreissena rostriformis bugensis). The quantity of mussels per location was then compared to Nalepa's 1992 study to determine if there was a significant difference between the past and the present mussel densities. A binomial confidence interval and a permutation test analog of a paired T-test were conducted and determined that between 1992 and 2015 there was no significant difference in the quantities of mussels present. However, in 1992, the dominate species identified were zebra mussels and, in 2015, all specimens identified were quagga mussels. The results display a distinct shift from one species to the next.

Trudell, Shannan N.

Biology

Lake Superior State University

2015

Dr. Barbara Evans

Copyright Shannan N. Trudell all rights reserved. LSSU use only.

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English

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S20210127004