Missing Mussels Activity Sheet

Ideal Habitat Requirements for river-Dwelling Mussels firm (but not too hard), gravel-covered bottom (to allow burrowing, but avoid being buried in silt) Aerated, fast-flowing water (to provide constant sources of oxygen and food) "hard (high mineral content)water" 9to allow shell-building) pH above 7.0 (not acidic) abundant 'host" fish for parasitic larval stage (to allow dispersal and reproduction) ample supply of suspended food particles

For each human activity listed below, use the chart of mussel habitat requirements to explain why the activity harms mussels.

Human Activity	How Mussels are Affected
Coal Mining - Mine openings and spoil sites are sosurces of acidic drainage which results in high levels of sulfate, elevated concentrations of dissolved metals, and low pH/high acidity.	.
Agricultural and Forestry Practices - The most serious impact from these practices is the potentially increased levels of erosion and subsequent siltation. (70% to 90% of the land in Plateau counties is forested at present but most trees are not marketable. In general, forestry only accounts for about 2% of all human-caused sedimentation into waterways.	.
Oil and Gas Exploration - while drilling, a variety of chemicals are used which may run into surrounding wterways. Oil spills can occur. building access roads increases the amount of siltation in the waterways	.
Sewage Discharge - Outdated sewage treatment facilities and inadequate home treatment systems contribute to high concentrations of bacteria, large amounts of organic matter, low dissolved oxygen levels, and public health hazards.	.
Dam Construction - It is thought that cold water releases from dams change the temperature regimes of the receiving waters, which disrupts the reproductive cycles of mussels. Can you predict other effects?	.