Physical, chemical and biological factors affecting the survival of fingernail clams in pool 8, upper Mississippi River

1 examined the temporal and spatial distribution of total ammonia nitrogen (TAN) and un-ionized ammonia (NH,) in sediment pore water and compared the temporal and spatial patterns of TAN and NH, in overlying surface water with those in pore water, to determine if they were reaching concentrations known to be deleterious to fingernail clams. Pore water was obtained by core extraction and subsequent centrifugation. TAN and NI-I3 in pore water were measured from May through December 1994, at ninety two sites in pool 8, upper Mississippi River, to a depth of five centimeters below the sediment-water interface. TAN and NH3 in pore water were significantly different among sampling dates; with the greatest concentrations occurring in the summer months. Tan and N1-I3 in pore water was significantly greater in impounded open water and backwater side channel habitats and least in main channel border habitat. Tan and NH3 in surface water were significantly less than those in pore water from all of the habitats studied. Analysis of sediment substrate physical features, found that fingernail clam density and occupance were correlated to texture, with fingernail clams preferring silt loam and loam textures. Analysis of the data determined fingernail clams have a preference for particular water depths. It was found that a positive correlation exists between the occurrence and abundance of may flies and fingernail clams. Additionally, this study found a positive correlation between the density of dead fingernail clams (as per empty shells) and the abundance of live fingernail clams. Sites that contained a mean NI-I, concentration below 36 ug/L possessed the largest numbers of fingernail clams. When the mean un-ionized ammonia was above 36 ug/l, fingernail clam density declined precipitously-- 36 ug/L NH3 is the concentration demonstrated to inhibit growth of fingernail clams in laboratory studies. Mean concentrations of NH, in pore water at sites containing fingernail clams was 40 ug/L and ranged from 3 to 100 ug/L. At sites where fingernail clams were nonexistent, NH3 ranged from 3 to 375 ug/L with a mean of 57 ugfL. Mean un-ionized ammonia concentrations at sites containing fingernail clams were significantly different from and consistently lower than sites without fingernail clams.Department of Natural Resources and Environmental ManagementThesis (M.S.