Fauna and standing crop of freshwater mussels in Poyang Lake, China

Freshwater mussels are a major component of the zoobenthos and they therefore play an important role in freshwater ecosystems. The community composition and the standing crop of freshwater mussels in Poyang Lake, the largest freshwater lake in China and one of two lakes connected to the Changjiang (Yangtze) River, were investigated from February 2008 to May 2009. Mussels were sampled in hydrologically and geographically distinct sampling areas. A total of 42 species and 13 genera were identified, of which 32 species were endemic to China. Two species, Unio douglasiae and Lamprotula caveata, dominated all sampling areas. The number of genera and species, and the number of species within each genus, differed significantly among sampling areas. Freshwater mussels were very abundant, with an overall density of 0.28 ± 0.22 ind./m2 and biomass of 4.08 ± 3.96 g/m2. Significant variation observed among sampling areas and among genera was probably due to the variety of habitats among the areas sampled and to the adaptability of different freshwater mussels to environments. This study suggests that Poyang Lake and other freshwater lakes in the region are important sites of freshwater mussel biodiversity and conservation.