The rapid spread of quagga mussels (Dreissena rostriformis bugensis) has lead to their invasion of Lake Mead, Nevada, the largest reservoir in North America and partially responsible for providing water to millions of people in the southwest. Current strategies for mitigating the growth and spread of quagga mussels primarily include physical and chemical means of removing adults within water treatment, delivery, and hydropower facilities. In the present study, germicidal ultraviolet light (UV-C) was used to target the larval stage of wild-caught quagga mussel. The lethal effect of UV-C was evaluated at four different doses, 0.0, 13.1, 26.2, and 79.6 mJ/cm2. Tested doses were determined based on results from preliminary trials. The results demonstrate that germicidal UV-C is effective in controlling the free-swimming life history stages of larval quagga mussels.
US Geological Survey, Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center, Bozeman, Montana, United States of America;Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, Texas, United States of America;Wilmoth Statistical Consulting, Bozeman, Montana, United States of America;US Geological Survey, Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center, Bozeman, Montana, United States of America;University of Nevada at Las Vegas, Las Vegas, Nevada, United States of America;US Geological Survey, Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center, Bozeman, Montana, United States of America
Recommended Citation:
Alecia Stewart-Malone,Michael Misamore,Siri Wilmoth,et al. The Effect of UV-C Exposure on Larval Survival of the Dreissenid Quagga Mussel[J]. PLOS ONE,2015-01-01,10(7)