Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Mass mortality events (MMEs) are decimating populations and compromising key ecosystem functions around the globe. One taxon particularly vulnerable to MMEs is freshwater bivalve mollusks. This group has important ecosystem engineering capacities and includes highly threatened and highly invasive taxa. Thus, MMEs of freshwater bivalves have important implications for conservation and ecosystems. Despite this, little is known about the magnitude, frequency, duration, distribution, and causes of freshwater bivalve MMEs. Using a questionnaire, we compiled data from 239 reports describing freshwater bivalve MMEs across 22 European countries since 1960. With these data, we analyzed trends in MME timing, location, and magnitude; identified the species affected; and evaluated the suggested causes (including reporter certainty). We found that the frequency of reports of MMEs increased each year, MMEs affected a broad range of species, clear geographical patterns linking certain causes to specific locations were lacking, factors related to drying and habitat destruction predominated suggested causes, and considerable uncertainty surrounded the causes of many MMEs, particularly those associated with potential pollutants and disease agents. Based on our findings, we recommend the standardization of many aspects of MME research (e.g., reporting and recovery assessment protocols), increased surveying for MMEs, further investigation into the causes of MMEs, especially those with significant uncertainty, and immediate actions to improve waterbody management, mitigate the effects of high temperatures, and further protect freshwater bivalves through the development and implementation of appropriate management actions and legislation.
Source: Conservation Biology
DOI: 10.1111/cobi.70192
Authors: Daniel A. Cossey, Maria Urbańska, Ronaldo Sousa, Juergen Geist, Anna Maria Labecka, Şebnem Atasaral, Maciej Bonk, Liliya Bylyna, Frank P. L. Collas, Daniel Daill, Andreas H. Dobler, Noé Ferreira‐Rodríguez, Dariusz Halabowski, Martina I. Ilarri, Jasna Lajtner, Jon H. Mageroy, Evelyn A. Moorkens, Javier Morales, William H. Morgan, Grégory Motte, Keiko Nakamura, Paz Ondina, Martin Österling, Małgorzata Ożgo, Momir Paunović, Vincent Prié, Maja Raković, Larysa Shevchuk, Spase Shumka, Mikhail O. Son, Jouni Taskinen, Frankie Thielen, Henn Timm, Jelena Tomović, Dariusz Ulikowski, Gorazd Urbanič, Simone Varandas, Agnieszka Izolda Wasilewska, Niklas Wengström, David C. Aldridge
Institutions: University of Cambridge, Poznań University of Life Sciences, University of Minho, Technical University of Munich, Jagiellonian University, Karadeniz Technical University, Institute of Nature Conservation, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kharkiv International Medical University, Lviv Medical University, Radboud University Nijmegen, University of Łódź, Universidade do Porto, Centro Interdisciplinar de Investigação Marinha e Ambiental, University of Zagreb, Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, Trinity College Dublin, Universidad de Salamanca, Service Public de Wallonie, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Karlstad University, Kazimierz Wielki University in Bydgoszcz, University of Belgrade, Institute for Biological Research “Siniša Stanković”, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, École Pratique des Hautes Études, Sorbonne Université, Institut de Systématique, Évolution, Biodiversité, Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, Université des Antilles, Zhytomyr Polytechnic State University, Agricultural University of Tirana, Institute of Marine Biology of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, University of Jyväskylä, Estonian University of Life Sciences, Stanisław Sakowicz Inland Fisheries Institute, University of Ljubljana, University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, Centro de Investigação e de Tecnologias Agro-Ambientais e Biologicas
Language: English
Subfield: Ecology
Field: Environmental Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
SDG: Life below water
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $3,400
OpenAlex ID: W4417497413