 |
My current research deals with freshwater mussels. I am interested, among
other things, in the rate at which these organisms grow and for how long they live. It has long been assumed
that rings are formed in the shells annually. However, this assumption has not be rigorously tested, and the
one-annulus : one-year relationship may not always be true. I have measured internal rings (a better determination
of annuli than external rings). I have also marked and annually sampled mussels in Rhode Island since 1991.
Estimates of growth from internal ring analysis and annual remeasurement do not agree.
I have also been testing the hypothesis that swamp habitats serve as sources of food for filter-feeding bivalve
mollusks in the Wolf River. I measured the glycogen concentration in the Asian Clam (Corbicula fluminea), along with
condition indices of tissue biomass per shell cavity volume. So far this hypothesis is supported by the data, although
more locations need to be sampled.
I am part of a group surveying the mussels of the Hatchie River in western Tennessee. You can view a video clip from Tennessee's Wild Side
at http://www.tnwildside.org/VideosFlash/1103VideoHighlight.html
|