[NatureNS] lots of empty FW Mussel shells- why?

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Date: Sat, 17 May 2014 22:14:55 -0300
From: Shouty McShoutsalot <desolatechair@gmail.com>
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In salt water along the Northumberland Strait we often see mussel shells
deeply piled into coves where wind and tide carry them, much like sand.


On 17 May 2014 07:29, nancy dowd <nancypdowd@gmail.com> wrote:

> Hi Jim
>
> Just to clarify, those are not living mussels in the first two photos.
> They are single valves all oriented convex side up. I also thought they
> were whole mussels that had been "uprooted" from the sediment at first. But
> once I flipped a few over with a stick I realized they were empty single
> (half) shells.
>
> Nancy
>
> On 2014-05-16, at 5:31 PM, Jim (James W.) Wolford <jimwolford@eastlink.ca>
> wrote:
>
> > Nancy and Fred, the links worked for me for the three photos of Nancy's.
> The first two seem to show living mussels or ones that died without being
> eaten by predators like muskrats.  The third photo shows opened shells of
> dead (and eaten?) mussels, perhaps from last year?  Cheers from Jim in
> Wolfville.
> >
> > Begin forwarded message:
> >
> >> From: nancy dowd <nancypdowd@gmail.com>
> >> Date: May 16, 2014 5:10:17 PM ADT
> >> To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
> >> Subject: Re: [NatureNS] lots of empty FW Mussel shells- why?
> >> Reply-To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
> >>
> >> Is everyone having problems seeing the photos? The links seem to be
> working for me when I click on them. If so I will try to set them up again
> or email the pictures to anyone interested.
> >>
> >> Lots of beaver on the lake. I have never seen a  muskrat swim by but
> that does not mean they are absent.
> >>
> >> Nancy
> >> On 2014-05-16, at 4:59 PM, Fred Schueler <bckcdb@istar.ca> wrote:
> >>
> >>> On 5/16/2014 1:06 PM, David McCorquodale wrote:
> >>>> Muskrats are important predators of freshwater mussels in eastern
> North
> >>>> America, including NS.  Often they pile shells in middens.
> >>>>
> >>>> In Blacketts Lake and Pottle Lake in CBRM piles of shells of several
> >>>> species of freshwater mussels, including the Yellow Lamp Mussel, are
> >>>> obvious.
> >>>
> >>> * these URLs just took me to a general flckr site, not to the
> individual photos.
> >>>
> >>> Muskrats and Beavers can process astonishing numbers of mussels, and
> often leave the shells quite undamaged - and nonhuman mammals, with weak
> connections of cultural memory can "discover" a food source and use it to
> depletion for one generation with the descendents never learning about it,
> giving the prey time to build up to high density.
> >>>
> >>> Freezing or anoxia can kill mussels, though they'd die buried in the
> substrate, and wouldn't be expected to be on the beach this early - also
> low water levels can cause mass mortality. Without being able to see the
> pictures, I can't say what species these are, but if they're Anodonta or
> Pyganodon "Floaters" the light-weight shells would be more likely to work
> loose from the substrate and blow onto a lee shore.
> >>>
> >>> fred.
> >>> ==============================================
> >>>
> >>>>
> >>>> On Fri, May 16, 2014 at 1:35 PM, nancy dowd <nancypdowd@gmail.com
> >>>> <mailto:nancypdowd@gmail.com>> wrote:
> >>>>
> >>>>    Water levels have dropped just enough on L Torment to show about 6"
> >>>>    of beach in places now but the shore has been completely submerged
> >>>>    since last October. The number of mussel shells seen in these
> >>>>    pictures is unusual:
> >>>>
> >>>>    At the end of the path they are visible as far as you can see out
> >>>>    into the water:
> >>>>    https://www.flickr.com/photos/92981528@N08/14196083311/
> >>>>
> >>>>    And it is this way the whole way along the shore. Another view 40'
> >>>>    along the submerged beach:
> >>>>    https://www.flickr.com/photos/92981528@N08/14012727849/
> >>>>
> >>>>    This side of the lake has the prevailing onshore winds and waves
> and
> >>>>    the shells are starting to collect in the exposed pockets:
> >>>>    https://www.flickr.com/photos/92981528@N08/14199406975/
> >>>>
> >>>>    Why so many empty mussel shells? Would the winter somehow have been
> >>>>    hard on them- ice or cold or oxygen levels? Doesn't look like
> >>>>    predation to me- too many shells. This is the first year I have
> ever
> >>>>    seen anything like this.
> >>>>
> >>>>    Any ideas?
> >>>>
> >>>>    Nancy
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> --
> >>> ------------------------------------------------------------
> >>>         Frederick W. Schueler & Aleta Karstad
> >>> Daily Paintings - http://karstaddailypaintings.blogspot.com/
> >>> Vulnerable Watersheds - http://vulnerablewaters.blogspot.ca/
> >>>   study our books - http://pinicola.ca/books/index.htm
> >>>         RR#2 Bishops Mills, Ontario, Canada K0G 1T0
> >>>  on the Smiths Falls Limestone Plain 44* 52'N 75* 42'W
> >>>   (613)258-3107 <bckcdb at istar.ca> http://pinicola.ca/
> >>> ------------------------------------------------------------
> >>
> >
>
>


-- 
Jamie Simpson
Hantsport, NS

--047d7b10ca55e00ce004f9a25f50
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<div dir=3D"ltr">In salt water along the Northumberland Strait we often see=
 mussel shells deeply piled into coves where wind and tide carry them, much=
 like sand.</div><div class=3D"gmail_extra"><br><br><div class=3D"gmail_quo=
te">
On 17 May 2014 07:29, nancy dowd <span dir=3D"ltr">&lt;<a href=3D"mailto:na=
ncypdowd@gmail.com" target=3D"_blank">nancypdowd@gmail.com</a>&gt;</span> w=
rote:<br><blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"margin:0 0 0 .8ex;borde=
r-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">
Hi Jim<br>
<br>
Just to clarify, those are not living mussels in the first two photos. They=
 are single valves all oriented convex side up. I also thought they were wh=
ole mussels that had been &quot;uprooted&quot; from the sediment at first. =
But once I flipped a few over with a stick I realized they were empty singl=
e (half) shells.<br>

<span class=3D"HOEnZb"><font color=3D"#888888"><br>
Nancy<br>
</font></span><div class=3D"HOEnZb"><div class=3D"h5"><br>
On 2014-05-16, at 5:31 PM, Jim (James W.) Wolford &lt;<a href=3D"mailto:jim=
wolford@eastlink.ca">jimwolford@eastlink.ca</a>&gt; wrote:<br>
<br>
&gt; Nancy and Fred, the links worked for me for the three photos of Nancy&=
#39;s. The first two seem to show living mussels or ones that died without =
being eaten by predators like muskrats. =C2=A0The third photo shows opened =
shells of dead (and eaten?) mussels, perhaps from last year? =C2=A0Cheers f=
rom Jim in Wolfville.<br>

&gt;<br>
&gt; Begin forwarded message:<br>
&gt;<br>
&gt;&gt; From: nancy dowd &lt;<a href=3D"mailto:nancypdowd@gmail.com">nancy=
pdowd@gmail.com</a>&gt;<br>
&gt;&gt; Date: May 16, 2014 5:10:17 PM ADT<br>
&gt;&gt; To: <a href=3D"mailto:naturens@chebucto.ns.ca">naturens@chebucto.n=
s.ca</a><br>
&gt;&gt; Subject: Re: [NatureNS] lots of empty FW Mussel shells- why?<br>
&gt;&gt; Reply-To: <a href=3D"mailto:naturens@chebucto.ns.ca">naturens@cheb=
ucto.ns.ca</a><br>
&gt;&gt;<br>
&gt;&gt; Is everyone having problems seeing the photos? The links seem to b=
e working for me when I click on them. If so I will try to set them up agai=
n or email the pictures to anyone interested.<br>
&gt;&gt;<br>
&gt;&gt; Lots of beaver on the lake. I have never seen a =C2=A0muskrat swim=
 by but that does not mean they are absent.<br>
&gt;&gt;<br>
&gt;&gt; Nancy<br>
&gt;&gt; On 2014-05-16, at 4:59 PM, Fred Schueler &lt;<a href=3D"mailto:bck=
cdb@istar.ca">bckcdb@istar.ca</a>&gt; wrote:<br>
&gt;&gt;<br>
&gt;&gt;&gt; On 5/16/2014 1:06 PM, David McCorquodale wrote:<br>
&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt; Muskrats are important predators of freshwater mussels in =
eastern North<br>
&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt; America, including NS. =C2=A0Often they pile shells in mid=
dens.<br>
&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;<br>
&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt; In Blacketts Lake and Pottle Lake in CBRM piles of shells =
of several<br>
&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt; species of freshwater mussels, including the Yellow Lamp M=
ussel, are<br>
&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt; obvious.<br>
&gt;&gt;&gt;<br>
&gt;&gt;&gt; * these URLs just took me to a general flckr site, not to the =
individual photos.<br>
&gt;&gt;&gt;<br>
&gt;&gt;&gt; Muskrats and Beavers can process astonishing numbers of mussel=
s, and often leave the shells quite undamaged - and nonhuman mammals, with =
weak connections of cultural memory can &quot;discover&quot; a food source =
and use it to depletion for one generation with the descendents never learn=
ing about it, giving the prey time to build up to high density.<br>

&gt;&gt;&gt;<br>
&gt;&gt;&gt; Freezing or anoxia can kill mussels, though they&#39;d die bur=
ied in the substrate, and wouldn&#39;t be expected to be on the beach this =
early - also low water levels can cause mass mortality. Without being able =
to see the pictures, I can&#39;t say what species these are, but if they&#3=
9;re Anodonta or Pyganodon &quot;Floaters&quot; the light-weight shells wou=
ld be more likely to work loose from the substrate and blow onto a lee shor=
e.<br>

&gt;&gt;&gt;<br>
&gt;&gt;&gt; fred.<br>
&gt;&gt;&gt; =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D<br>
&gt;&gt;&gt;<br>
&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;<br>
&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt; On Fri, May 16, 2014 at 1:35 PM, nancy dowd &lt;<a href=3D=
"mailto:nancypdowd@gmail.com">nancypdowd@gmail.com</a><br>
&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt; &lt;mailto:<a href=3D"mailto:nancypdowd@gmail.com">nancypd=
owd@gmail.com</a>&gt;&gt; wrote:<br>
&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;<br>
&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt; =C2=A0 =C2=A0Water levels have dropped just enough on L To=
rment to show about 6&quot;<br>
&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt; =C2=A0 =C2=A0of beach in places now but the shore has been=
 completely submerged<br>
&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt; =C2=A0 =C2=A0since last October. The number of mussel shel=
ls seen in these<br>
&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt; =C2=A0 =C2=A0pictures is unusual:<br>
&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;<br>
&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt; =C2=A0 =C2=A0At the end of the path they are visible as fa=
r as you can see out<br>
&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt; =C2=A0 =C2=A0into the water:<br>
&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt; =C2=A0 =C2=A0<a href=3D"https://www.flickr.com/photos/9298=
1528@N08/14196083311/" target=3D"_blank">https://www.flickr.com/photos/9298=
1528@N08/14196083311/</a><br>
&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;<br>
&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt; =C2=A0 =C2=A0And it is this way the whole way along the sh=
ore. Another view 40&#39;<br>
&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt; =C2=A0 =C2=A0along the submerged beach:<br>
&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt; =C2=A0 =C2=A0<a href=3D"https://www.flickr.com/photos/9298=
1528@N08/14012727849/" target=3D"_blank">https://www.flickr.com/photos/9298=
1528@N08/14012727849/</a><br>
&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;<br>
&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt; =C2=A0 =C2=A0This side of the lake has the prevailing onsh=
ore winds and waves and<br>
&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt; =C2=A0 =C2=A0the shells are starting to collect in the exp=
osed pockets:<br>
&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt; =C2=A0 =C2=A0<a href=3D"https://www.flickr.com/photos/9298=
1528@N08/14199406975/" target=3D"_blank">https://www.flickr.com/photos/9298=
1528@N08/14199406975/</a><br>
&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;<br>
&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt; =C2=A0 =C2=A0Why so many empty mussel shells? Would the wi=
nter somehow have been<br>
&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt; =C2=A0 =C2=A0hard on them- ice or cold or oxygen levels? D=
oesn&#39;t look like<br>
&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt; =C2=A0 =C2=A0predation to me- too many shells. This is the=
 first year I have ever<br>
&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt; =C2=A0 =C2=A0seen anything like this.<br>
&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;<br>
&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt; =C2=A0 =C2=A0Any ideas?<br>
&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;<br>
&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt; =C2=A0 =C2=A0Nancy<br>
&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;<br>
&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;<br>
&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;<br>
&gt;&gt;&gt;<br>
&gt;&gt;&gt;<br>
&gt;&gt;&gt; --<br>
&gt;&gt;&gt; ------------------------------------------------------------<b=
r>
&gt;&gt;&gt; =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 Frederick W. Schueler &amp; Aleta =
Karstad<br>
&gt;&gt;&gt; Daily Paintings - <a href=3D"http://karstaddailypaintings.blog=
spot.com/" target=3D"_blank">http://karstaddailypaintings.blogspot.com/</a>=
<br>
&gt;&gt;&gt; Vulnerable Watersheds - <a href=3D"http://vulnerablewaters.blo=
gspot.ca/" target=3D"_blank">http://vulnerablewaters.blogspot.ca/</a><br>
&gt;&gt;&gt; =C2=A0 study our books - <a href=3D"http://pinicola.ca/books/i=
ndex.htm" target=3D"_blank">http://pinicola.ca/books/index.htm</a><br>
&gt;&gt;&gt; =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 RR#2 Bishops Mills, Ontario, Canad=
a K0G 1T0<br>
&gt;&gt;&gt; =C2=A0on the Smiths Falls Limestone Plain 44* 52&#39;N 75* 42&=
#39;W<br>
&gt;&gt;&gt; =C2=A0 <a href=3D"tel:%28613%29258-3107" value=3D"+16132583107=
">(613)258-3107</a> &lt;bckcdb at <a href=3D"http://istar.ca" target=3D"_bl=
ank">istar.ca</a>&gt; <a href=3D"http://pinicola.ca/" target=3D"_blank">htt=
p://pinicola.ca/</a><br>

&gt;&gt;&gt; ------------------------------------------------------------<b=
r>
&gt;&gt;<br>
&gt;<br>
<br>
</div></div></blockquote></div><br><br clear=3D"all"><div><br></div>-- <br>=
<div dir=3D"ltr"><div>Jamie Simpson<br></div>Hantsport, NS<br></div>
</div>

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