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Lacking Mussels in the United States?
You won’t find these mussels in the gym after the holidays, and according to a new USGS report (http://www.cerc.usgs.gov/pubs/pubs.htm#mussels ), you’re also less likely to find them in your local streams and rivers. Freshwater mussels are rapidly declining in the United States, and no one is completely sure why. To find out more, the USGS and its partners are developing the first-of-its-kind toxicity test that uses early life stages of freshwater mussels to assess the effects of pollution on the decreasing mussel populations. Find out why results suggest water quality criteria for certain chemicals may not be strict enough to protect sensitive stages of freshwater mussels’ survival. To learn more, contact Ning Wang at 573-441-2946 or nwang@usgs.gov .