Relocated Unionid Survival,

15 years later,

Wolf River, Wisconsin

Heidi Dunn, Ecological Specialists, Inc.

Lisie Kitchel, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources

Few Long-Term Monitoring Studies

following Relocation

• Where do they go?

• How long do they survive?

• Is the native community affected?

• Do impact areas recolonize?

Wolf River, Wisconsin

• 219 miles long

– 3700 sq miles

– 11 counties

– Menominee Indian Res.

– Forested wetland/ag land

– North Hills/Plains

– Northern Lakes/Forests

• Headwaters-Forest Co.

– Trout stream

– Series of Dells

– White water rafting

• 2 Dams up of Shawano

• South of Shawano

– Free flowing

– 93 miles to Lake Poygan

– Fox River/Lake Winnebago

– Lake Sturgeon spawning

– One of two populations of E.triquetra

Shawano

• Shawano County

– 29 Species

• 2 Wisconsin Endangered

– Epioblasma triquetra

– Lampsilis teres

• 3 Wisconsin Threatened

– Alasmidonta viridis

– Simpsonaias ambigua

– Tritogonia verrucosa

• 5 Wisconsin Special Concern

– Alasmidonta marginata

– Elliptio complanata

– Pleurobema sintoxia

– Quadrula quadrula

– Truncilla donaciformis

– High density areas (20+/m2)

– Dominant Species• A. ligamentina and T. truncata

High Quality Unionid Communities

2010 Wolf River Relocation/Monitoring

• 1995 STH 29 Relocation

– 26,377 unionids removed

– 21 species

– About 8/m2

– 23,111 General Relocation Area

– 290 E. triquetra, A. marginata, and

T. verrucosa in Grids

– 1996 and 1997 monitoring

• 2010 STH 22 Relocation

– 550m Upstream of STH 29

– 50m Upstream of Rel. Area

1995 STH 29 Relocation

– General Relocation Area

• Added 7.7/m2

• Resident 12.2/m2 (±2.4)

• 63% increase

– Grids

• Grid A

– Added 120 unionids (2/m2)

– 15.6/m2 residents

– 13% increase

• Grid B

– Added 170 unionids (2/m2)

– 10.0/m2 residents

– 20% increase

1996/97 STH 29 Monitoring

Year Relocated Native Total

1995 10.4 ± 3.1A 12.2 ± 2.4A 22.2 ± 4.1A

1996 6.0 ± 1.7A 15.2 ± 3.3A 21.2 ± 4.2A

1997 6.8 ± 1.6A 10.8 ± 2.0A 17.5 ± 2.8A

General Relocation Area Density Similar 1995-1997

Sample size= 45, 0.25m2 samples

Different letters within a column indicate a significant difference (ANOVA, p<0.05)

T&E Species Recovery/Survival

1995 1996 1997

A. marginata 7 2 1

E. triquetra 110 40 (1) 56

T. verrucosa 2 2 1

Total live 119 44 58

Total shells 0 1 0

No. samples 60 37 30

No./m2 2 1.3 ± 0.3 0.7 ± 0.4

% Recovery 78% 50%

% Survival 98% 100%

Grid A Recovery/Survival

No. live (no. shells)

1995 1996 1997

A. marginata 17 6 8

E. triquetra 152 50 (3) 94 (3)

T. verrucosa 2 0 1

Total live 171 56 103

Total shells 0 3 3

No. samples 86 52 36

No./m2 2 1.1 ± 0.2 0.9 ± 0.4

% Recovery 69% 62%

% Survival 95% 97%

Grid B Recovery/Survival

No. live (no. shells)

2010, monitoring 15 year later

• STH 29 bridge

– Habitat

– Recolonization

• Density in General Relocation Area

• Movement out of General Relocation Area

• Survival/Movement in T&E Grids

Upstream Migration

• STH 22 collection

– 9472 unionids, 20 species

– Recaptured 14 live and 1 shell

• A. ligamentina: 8 live; 1 shell

• E. dilatata: 1 live

• L. cardium: 2 live

• L. recta: 1 live

• P. alatus: 2 live

• Moved 50 to 250m upstream!

Growth Since 1995

Growth Since 1995

STH 29 Relocation Area

• 2010

– 20 0.25m2 Quadrats

– 5 live A. ligamentina

– 1 live L. costata

– 1 live P. alatus

– 5 marked shells

– Density 1.4/m2 ± 0.9

– 4200 (±2700) still alive

– 18% of 23,111

– Many likely died of old age

• 1995

– Average age 12.5 years

– 5% less than 5 years old

2010 STH 29 Monitoring

Year Relocated Native Total

1995 10.4 ± 3.1A 12.2 ± 2.4AB 22.2 ± 4.1A

1996 6.0 ± 1.7A 15.2 ± 3.3A 21.2 ± 4.2A

1997 6.8 ± 1.6A 10.8 ± 2.0AB 17.5 ± 2.8A

2010 1.4 ± 0.9B 7.0 ± 3.0B 8.4 ± 3.1B

Native density not affected; A few relocated unionids alive

Sample size 1995, 1996, 1997 = 45, 0.25m2 samples; 2010= 20, 0.25m2 samples

Different letters within a column indicate a significant difference (ANOVA, p<0.05)

T&E Species Grids Still In Place

T&E Species Grid A 1997-2010

T&E Species Grid B 1997-2010

Epioblasma triquetra 1995-2010

Length (mm)

Sex Status ID Age 1995 1995 2010 Diff

M L 633 17 53 59 6

M L 760 11 46 61 15

M L 795 10 47 57 10

M L 789 12 54 63 9

M L 772 10 48 57 9

M L 731 15 53 56 3

M WD 685 13 50 55 5

STH 29 Bridge Unionids 2010

• Shallow run

– Aquatic vegetation

– Mostly stable substrate

– Scour holes near piers

– Depositional areas

• Unionids

– 20 0.25m2 Quadrats

– No marked unionids

– 10 species (no E. triquetra)

– 24% ≤5 years old

– 5.0/m2 (±2.8) vs 8/m2 in 1995

• Right 0

• Middle 4.4/m2

• Left 11.2/m2

What Did We Learn?

• Relocation Methods

– Found relocation areas

– Grids/Markers still in place

– Recovered animals

– Track growth

– Track movement

• Survival after 15 years

• No permanent increase in density

• Considerable upstream movement

• Habitat not permanently lost due to construction

• Epioblasma triquetra live over 30 years!

Acknowledgements

Funding provided by Wisconsin Department of Transportation

Field Assistance:

ESI staff-Eric Rahm, Nathan Badgett, Kendall Cranney,

Jeff Garner, Dan Scoggin, Heidi Dunn

WisDOT-Roseanne Meer, Janet Smith and staff

WisDNR-Allan Stranz, Randy Piette, Lisie Kitchel and staff