- Item type
- Periodical
- Language
- English
- Source
- Scientific American. May2026, Vol. 334 Issue 5, p66-75. 10p. 10 Color Photographs, 1 Diagram.
- Publication year
- 2026
- ISSN
- 00368733
The article focuses on the decline and conservation of North America's freshwater mussels, a diverse group of about 300 species that have experienced significant population losses, with around 10 percent extinct and many others endangered. Freshwater mussels rely on fish hosts to disperse their larvae upstream, but despite improvements in water quality and the end of large-scale dam building, their populations continue to decline due to largely unknown causes. Research led by U.S. Forest Service ecologist Wendell Haag and others suggests invasive Asian clams (Corbicula fluminea) may be a key factor in these declines by competing for food or possibly transmitting pathogens. Conservation efforts include captive breeding and reintroduction programs at state-run hatcheries, such as those in Alabama and Kentucky, aiming to restore endangered species and their habitats. The article highlights the ecological importance of mussels as keystone species and the cultural and scientific value of preserving their existence. [Extracted from the article]
