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Data Release: Temperature-related responses of invasive (Dreissena polymorpha) and native mussels (Order: Unionida) to elevated carbon dioxide

Metadata Updated: November 12, 2025

Control technology for dreissenid mussels (Dreissena polymorpha and D. bugensis) currently relies heavily on chemical molluscicides that can be both costly and ecologically harmful. There is a need to develop more environmentally neutral control tools to manage dreissenid mussels, particularly in cooler water. Previously, carbon dioxide (CO2) showed selective toxicity for Zebra mussels, relative to unionids, when applied in cool water (12 °C). Carp-Carbon Dioxide (carbon dioxide, CO2) is registered as a pesticide by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for deterrence of Asian carp and to control aquatic nuisance species when applied under ice (USEPA 2019). The current registration would allow the use of CO2 to kill Zebra mussels in water bodies during periods of ice cover, but first efficacious treatment regimes in cold water need to be determined. We compared toxicity endpoints (lethal concentrations, time to lethality) and behavioral responses of Zebra mussels (gaping, attachment) and juveniles (burial) of two unionid species (Plain pocketbook, Lampsilis cardium) and Fragile papershell (Leptodea fragilis) to CO2 across a temperature range to determine treatment scenarios that had the greatest efficacy to invasive mussels and safety margin to native mussels. We found CO2 treatment regimens at all three temperatures that were efficacious to Zebra mussels and caused minimal mortality of unionid. At 5 °C, Plain pocketbook survived 96 h exposure to the highest PCO2 treatment (139 atm). At 20 °C, the 96 h LC10 for Plain pocketbook (173 atm PCO2, 95% confidence interval CL 147 – 198 atm) was significantly higher than the LC99 for Zebra mussels (118 atm PCO2, CL 109 – 127 atm). Lethal time to 99% mortality (LT99) of Zebra mussels in PCO2 ~ 110 – 120 atm ranged from 100 h at 20 °C to 300 h at 5 °C. Mean survival of unionids exceeded 85% in LT99 CO2 treatments at all temperatures. Seasonal behaviors of native mussels are also considered to assess the potential risk of a CO2 treatment to unionids. Short-term infusion of 100 to 200 atm PCO2 at a range of water temperatures could reduce biofouling by Zebra mussels.

Access & Use Information

Public: This dataset is intended for public access and use. License: No license information was provided. If this work was prepared by an officer or employee of the United States government as part of that person's official duties it is considered a U.S. Government Work.

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Dates

Metadata Created Date September 12, 2025
Metadata Updated Date November 12, 2025

Metadata Source

Harvested from DOI USGS DCAT-US

Additional Metadata

Resource Type Dataset
Metadata Created Date September 12, 2025
Metadata Updated Date November 12, 2025
Publisher U.S. Geological Survey
Maintainer
Identifier http://datainventory.doi.gov/id/dataset/usgs-5ede5ff582ce7e579c6e56b4
Data Last Modified 2021-08-05T00:00:00Z
Category geospatial
Public Access Level public
Bureau Code 010:12
Metadata Context https://project-open-data.cio.gov/v1.1/schema/catalog.jsonld
Metadata Catalog ID https://ddi.doi.gov/usgs-data.json
Schema Version https://project-open-data.cio.gov/v1.1/schema
Catalog Describedby https://project-open-data.cio.gov/v1.1/schema/catalog.json
Harvest Object Id f9d692a4-ad9f-4b4b-9257-12b8bf533219
Harvest Source Id 2b80d118-ab3a-48ba-bd93-996bbacefac2
Harvest Source Title DOI USGS DCAT-US
Metadata Type geospatial
Old Spatial -180.0000, -90.0000, 180.0000, 90.0000
Source Datajson Identifier True
Source Hash 87b34cab18962d1ce781307023225583004038b006af1fe4239e0f6fd4cb0640
Source Schema Version 1.1
Spatial {"type": "Polygon", "coordinates": -180.0000, -90.0000, -180.0000, 90.0000, 180.0000, 90.0000, 180.0000, -90.0000, -180.0000, -90.0000}

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