The role of anthropogenic habitats in freshwater mussel conservation
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Halabowski, Dariusz
Labecka, Anna M
Douda, Karel
Aksenova, Olga
Bespalaya, Yulia
Bolotov, Ivan
Geist, Juergen
Jones, Hugh A
Konopleva, Ekaterina
Klunzinger, Michael W
Lasso, Carlos A
Lewin, Iga
Liu, Xiongjun
Lopes-Lima, Manuel
et al.
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Abstract
Anthropogenic freshwater habitats may provide undervalued prospects for long-term conservation as part of species conservation planning. This fundamental, but overlooked, issue requires attention considering the pace that humans have been altering natural freshwater ecosystems and the accelerated levels of biodiversity decline in recent decades. We compiled 709 records of freshwater mussels (Bivalvia, Unionida) inhabiting a broad variety of anthropogenic habitat types (from small ponds to large reservoirs and canals) and reviewed their importance as refuges for this faunal group. Most records came from Europe and North America, with a clear dominance of canals and reservoirs. The dataset covered 228 species, including 34 threatened species on the IUCN Red List. We discuss the conservation importance and provide guidance on how these anthropogenic habitats could be managed to provide optimal conservation value to freshwater mussels. This review also shows that some of these habitats may function as ecological traps owing to conflicting management practices or because they act as a sink for some populations. Therefore, anthropogenic habitats should not be seen as a panacea to resolve conservation problems. More information is necessary to better understand the trade-offs between human use and the conservation of freshwater mussels (and other biota) within anthropogenic habitats, given the low number of quantitative studies and the strong biogeographic knowledge bias that persists.
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Global Change Biology
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27
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11
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© 2021 John Wiley & Sons Ltd. This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: The role of anthropogenic habitats in freshwater mussel conservation, Global Change Biology, 27 (11), pp. 2298-2314, 2021, which has been published in final form at https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.15549. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Use of Self-Archived Versions. This article may not be enhanced, enriched or otherwise transformed into a derivative work, without express permission from Wiley or by statutory rights under applicable legislation. Copyright notices must not be removed, obscured or modified. The article must be linked to Wiley’s version of record on Wiley Online Library and any embedding, framing or otherwise making available the article or pages thereof by third parties from platforms, services and websites other than Wiley Online Library must be prohibited.
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Conservation and biodiversity
Marine and estuarine ecology (incl. marine ichthyology)
Biological sciences
Earth sciences
Environmental sciences
Science & Technology
Life Sciences & Biomedicine
Biodiversity Conservation
Ecology
Environmental Sciences
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Sousa, R; Halabowski, D; Labecka, AM; Douda, K; Aksenova, O; Bespalaya, Y; Bolotov, I; Geist, J; Jones, HA; Konopleva, E; Klunzinger, MW; Lasso, CA; Lewin, I; Liu, X; Lopes-Lima, M; Mageroy, J; Mlambo, M; Nakamura, K; Nakano, M; osterling, M; Pfeiffer, J; Prie, V; Paschoal, LRP; Riccardi, N; Santos, R; Shumka, S; Smith, AK; Son, MO; Teixeira, A; Thielen, F; Torres, S; Varandas, S; Vikhrev, IV; Wu, X; Zieritz, A; Nogueira, JG, The role of anthropogenic habitats in freshwater mussel conservation, Global Change Biology, 2021, 27 (11), pp. 2298-2314