Distribution, scale, and drivers of mass mortality events in Europe's freshwater bivalves

Mass mortality events (MMEs) are decimating populations and compromising key ecosystem functions around the globe. One taxon particularly vulnerable to MMEs is freshwater bivalve mollusks. This group has important ecosystem engineering capacities and includes highly threatened and highly invasive taxa. Thus, MMEs of freshwater bivalves have important implications for conservation and ecosystems. Despite this, little is known about the magnitude, frequency, duration, distribution, and causes of freshwater bivalve MMEs. Using a questionnaire, we compiled data from 239 reports describing freshwater bivalve MMEs across 22 European countries since 1960. With these data, we analyzed trends in MME timing, location, and magnitude; identified the species affected; and evaluated the suggested causes (including reporter certainty). We found that the frequency of reports of MMEs increased each year, MMEs affected a broad range of species, clear geographical patterns linking certain causes to specific locations were lacking, factors related to drying and habitat destruction predominated suggested causes, and considerable uncertainty surrounded the causes of many MMEs, particularly those associated with potential pollutants and disease agents. Based on our findings, we recommend the standardization of many aspects of MME research (e.g., reporting and recovery assessment protocols), increased surveying for MMEs, further investigation into the causes of MMEs, especially those with significant uncertainty, and immediate actions to improve waterbody management, mitigate the effects of high temperatures, and further protect freshwater bivalves through the development and implementation of appropriate management actions and legislation.

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Publication Details

Journal
Conservation Biology
Published
2025-12-18
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1111/cobi.70192
Citations
1
Primary Topic
Aquatic Invertebrate Ecology and Behavior
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
1.72

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article

Distribution, scale, and drivers of mass mortality events in Europe's freshwater bivalves

Dariusz Ulikowski, Mikhail O. Son, Frank P. L. Collas, Dariusz Halabowski et al.
1 citations
Conservation Biology
Aquatic Invertebrate Ecology and Behavior
1.72
article

Distribution, scale, and drivers of mass mortality events in Europe's freshwater bivalves

Dariusz Ulikowski, Mikhail O. Son, Frank P. L. Collas, Dariusz Halabowski, Anna Maria Łabęcka, Niklas Wengström, Maja Raković, Momír Paunović, William H. Morgan, Jasna Lajtner, Martina Ilarri, Gorazd Urbanič, Şebnem Atasaral, Maciej Bonk, Spase Shumka, Evelyn Moorkens, Grégory Motte, L. Bylyna, Paz Ondina, Jon Hamner Magerøy, Martin Österling, Daniel Daill, David C. Aldridge, Juergen Geist, Ronaldo Sousa, Noé Ferreira‐Rodríguez, Simone Da Graça Pinto Varandas, Jouni Taskinen, Frankie Thielen, Małgorzata Ożgo, Jelena Tomović, Vincent Prié, Javier Morales Martín, Andreas H. Dobler, Henn Timm, Maria Urbańska, Daniel A. Cossey, Agnieszka Wasilewska, Keiko Nakamura, Larysa Shevchuk
article en
1 citations

Abstract

Mass mortality events (MMEs) are decimating populations and compromising key ecosystem functions around the globe. One taxon particularly vulnerable to MMEs is freshwater bivalve mollusks. This group has important ecosystem engineering capacities and includes highly threatened and highly invasive taxa. Thus, MMEs of freshwater bivalves have important implications for conservation and ecosystems. Despite this, little is known about the magnitude, frequency, duration, distribution, and causes of freshwater bivalve MMEs. Using a questionnaire, we compiled data from 239 reports describing freshwater bivalve MMEs across 22 European countries since 1960. With these data, we analyzed trends in MME timing, location, and magnitude; identified the species affected; and evaluated the suggested causes (including reporter certainty). We found that the frequency of reports of MMEs increased each year, MMEs affected a broad range of species, clear geographical patterns linking certain causes to specific locations were lacking, factors related to drying and habitat destruction predominated suggested causes, and considerable uncertainty surrounded the causes of many MMEs, particularly those associated with potential pollutants and disease agents. Based on our findings, we recommend the standardization of many aspects of MME research (e.g., reporting and recovery assessment protocols), increased surveying for MMEs, further investigation into the causes of MMEs, especially those with significant uncertainty, and immediate actions to improve waterbody management, mitigate the effects of high temperatures, and further protect freshwater bivalves through the development and implementation of appropriate management actions and legislation.

Conservation Biology
Agricultural University of Tirana (AL), Jagiellonian University (PL), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (FR), Radboud University Nijmegen (NL), Kazimierz Wielki University in Bydgoszcz (PL), National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine (UA), University of Ljubljana (SI), University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (PT), École Pratique des Hautes Études (FR), Karadeniz Technical University (TR), University of Zagreb (HR), Universidade do Porto (PT), Universidad de Salamanca (ES), Estonian University of Life Sciences (EE), Universidade de Santiago de Compostela (ES), Trinity College Dublin (IE), Odesa National University of Technology (UA), University of Cambridge (GB), Radboud University Medical Center (NL), University of Łódź (PL), Sorbonne Université (FR), University of Belgrade (RS), Institut de Systématique, Évolution, Biodiversité (FR), Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences (NL), Service Public de Wallonie (BE), Barmherzige Schwestern vom heiligen Kreuz (AT), Institute of Nature Conservation (PL), Swedish Asthma and Allergy Association (SE), Stanisław Sakowicz Inland Fisheries Institute (PL), Berdyansk State Pedagogical University (UA), Naturstoff-Technik (Germany) (DE), Zhytomyr Polytechnic State University (UA), Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NO), Karlstad University (SE), University of Life Sciences in Poznań (PL), Technical University of Munich (DE), University of Jyväskylä (FI), Polish Academy of Sciences (PL), University of Minho (PT)
Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia
Openalex Percentile: Top 12%
Aquatic Invertebrate Ecology and Behavior
1.72
DOIOpen Access PDFOpenAlex
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