Response of New zealand mudsnails Potamopyrgus antipodarum to freezing and near freezing fluctuating water temperatures

Freshwater Science
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Abstract

We explored the resilience of the invasive New Zealand mudsnail Potamopyrgus antipodarum to fluctuating winter freezing and near-freezing temperature cycles in laboratory tests. Our goal was to provide data to confirm field observations of mortality and presumed mortality in stream habitats with fluctuating freezing to near-freezing temperatures. We tested individuals from 2 locations with distinctly different thermal regimes and population densities. One location had low snail densities and water temperatures with strong diel and seasonal water variation. The other location had high snail densities and nearly constant water temperatures. Groups of individuals from both locations were tested in each of 3 laboratory-created diel thermal cycles around nominal temperatures of 0, 2, or 4°C. Mortality occurred in cycles around 0°C in both populations, and little to no mortality occurred at temperatures >0°C. Individuals from both sources held in diel 0°C cycles for 72 h showed 100% mortality. Our findings support observations from published field studies that survival was limited in infested habitats subject to freezing temperatures.
Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title Response of New zealand mudsnails Potamopyrgus antipodarum to freezing and near freezing fluctuating water temperatures
Series title Freshwater Science
DOI 10.1899/11-160.1
Volume 31
Issue 4
Year Published 2012
Language English
Publisher The Society for Freshwater Science
Contributing office(s) Coop Res Unit Seattle
Description 8 p.
Larger Work Type Article
Larger Work Subtype Journal Article
Larger Work Title Freshwater Science
First page 1035
Last page 1041
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