Introduction into natural environments shifts the gut microbiome of captivity-raised filter-feeding bivalves.

The gut microbiome is influenced by host species and the environment, but how the environment influences the microbiome of animals introduced into a new ecosystem has rarely been investigated. Freshwater mussels are aquatic fauna, with some threatened or endangered species propagated in hatcheries and introduced into natural systems as part of conservation efforts. The effects of the environment on the freshwater mussel gut microbiome were assessed for two hatchery-propagated species (, ) introduced into rivers within their natural range.

A trait dataset for freshwater mussels of the United States of America.

The United States of America has a diverse collection of freshwater mussels comprising 301 species distributed among 59 genera and two families (Margaritiferidae and Unionidae), each having a unique suite of traits. Mussels are among the most imperilled animals and are critical components of their ecosystems, and successful management, conservation and research requires a cohesive and widely accessible data source. Although trait-based analysis for mussels has increased, only a small proportion of traits reflecting mussel diversity in this region has been collated.

Community-wide correlations between species richness, abundance and population genomic diversity in a freshwater biodiversity hotspot.

Understanding patterns of diversity across macro (e.g. species-level) and micro (e.

Environment and Co-occurring Native Mussel Species, but Not Host Genetics, Impact the Microbiome of a Freshwater Invasive Species ().

The Asian clam (Family: Cyneridae) has aggressively invaded freshwater habitats worldwide, resulting in dramatic ecological changes and declines of native bivalves such as freshwater mussels (Family: Unionidae), one of the most imperiled faunal groups. Despite increases in our knowledge of invasive biology, little is known of how intrinsic and extrinsic factors, including co-occurring native species, influence its microbiome. We investigated the gut bacterial microbiome across genetically differentiated populations of in the Tennessee and Mobile River Basins in the Southeastern United States and compared them to those of six co-occurring species of native freshwater mussels.

Identifying potential drivers of distribution patterns of invasive relative to native freshwater mussels (Unionidae) across spatial scales.

This study aimed to identify the importance of ecological factors to distribution patterns of the invasive Clam () relative to native mussels (family: Unionidae) across seven rivers within the Mobile and Tennessee basins, Southeast United States. We quantitatively surveyed dense, diverse native mussel aggregations across 20 river reaches and estimated mussel density, biomass, and species richness along with density of invasive . (hereafter ).

RAD-tag and mitochondrial DNA sequencing reveal the genetic structure of a widespread and regionally imperiled freshwater mussel, (Bivalvia: Unionidae).

is a species of freshwater mussel native to the Mississippi River and Laurentian Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River drainages of North America. This mussel has experienced population declines across large parts of its distribution and is imperiled in many jurisdictions.

Sea star wasting disease demography and etiology in the brooding sea star Leptasterias spp.

Sea star wasting disease (SSWD) describes a suite of disease signs believed to have led to catastrophic die-offs in many asteroid species, beginning in 2013. While most studies have focused on large, easily visible sea stars with widely-dispersing larvae, less information is available on the effect of this disease outbreak on smaller sea star species, such as the six-armed sea star Leptasterias spp. Unlike many larger sea stars, Leptasterias brood non-feeding young instead of broadcast-spawning planktonic larvae.