Hydroacoustic detection of dreissenid mussels and their habitat: an innovative way to detect dreissenid infestations and model preferred habitat for future colonization
The proposed project will explore the technology of hydroacoustics to detect dreissenid mussels and analyze habitat variables to model preferred future habitat locations to help control the spread of invasive dreissenid mussels.
Lake Minnetonka in Minnesota currently has an existing dataset of dreissenid infestation locations. Locations on Lake Minnetonka will be targeted for sonar data collection to determine whether a signature is visible for detecting dreissenids. Physical properties measured by hydroacoustics combined with existing water and hydrological parameters will be analyzed to determine whether similarities among habitat locations exist. Study design will use existing data from ongoing collaborative projects with federal and state agencies to determine new data collection locations. Methods will be based off Smit and Kaeser, 2016 to interpret hydroacoustic data and map habitat types for mussels within inland rivers and lakes. The following priorities will be addressed:
- Comparison of hydroacoustic data for inland lakes, UMRS (using MISS and SACN), and Great Lakes. Are there differences in environments and/or mussel densities? Is there a defined acoustic signature of highly infested surfaces?
- Analysis including river environments and habitat variables flow, water chemistry, depth, turbidity, and other parameters.
- Exploration of mapping mussel infestation densities of inland lakes:
- Potential mapping of substrate/habitat of infested area. Is there a relationship between habitat and mussel densities?
References:
Smit, R., Kaeser, A. (2016). Defining Freshwater mussel mesohabitat associations in an alluvial, Coastal Plain River. Freshwater Science, 35(4):1276-1290. DOI: 10.1086/688928
The proposed project will explore the technology of hydroacoustics to detect dreissenid mussels and analyze habitat variables to model preferred future habitat locations to help control the spread of invasive dreissenid mussels.
Lake Minnetonka in Minnesota currently has an existing dataset of dreissenid infestation locations. Locations on Lake Minnetonka will be targeted for sonar data collection to determine whether a signature is visible for detecting dreissenids. Physical properties measured by hydroacoustics combined with existing water and hydrological parameters will be analyzed to determine whether similarities among habitat locations exist. Study design will use existing data from ongoing collaborative projects with federal and state agencies to determine new data collection locations. Methods will be based off Smit and Kaeser, 2016 to interpret hydroacoustic data and map habitat types for mussels within inland rivers and lakes. The following priorities will be addressed:
- Comparison of hydroacoustic data for inland lakes, UMRS (using MISS and SACN), and Great Lakes. Are there differences in environments and/or mussel densities? Is there a defined acoustic signature of highly infested surfaces?
- Analysis including river environments and habitat variables flow, water chemistry, depth, turbidity, and other parameters.
- Exploration of mapping mussel infestation densities of inland lakes:
- Potential mapping of substrate/habitat of infested area. Is there a relationship between habitat and mussel densities?
References:
Smit, R., Kaeser, A. (2016). Defining Freshwater mussel mesohabitat associations in an alluvial, Coastal Plain River. Freshwater Science, 35(4):1276-1290. DOI: 10.1086/688928