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Samantha Poratti - "Investigating the Distribution and Reproduction of the Native California Floater and Western Pearlshell Mussels in the Bear River Watershed"

I am beyond thrilled and honored to have received a Biodiversity Institute Graduate Student Research Enhancement Grant. Freshwater mussels in North America, and locally here in Wyoming are facing threats by a host of environmental and anthropological factors. More information is needed to understand the status of these ecologically important species. Two native freshwater mussel species in Wyoming, the California Floater mussel and Western Pearlshell mussel are important species that we know little about. This funding will increase my research capacity on the distribution and reproduction of these two native freshwater mussel species, by allowing me to hire additional support to process and analyze samples in the lab. This grant will also provide me with resources that will help me reach a broader audience. I aim to work to increase awareness and interest for Wyoming’s freshwater mussels. With the support of this Biodiversity Institute grant, I am excited to bring to light just how amazing and crucial freshwater mussels are for a healthy watershed. 2023 Graduate Student Research Grant recipient

Samantha Poratti

Biodiversity Institute Graduate Student Excellence Grant

Don and Judy Legerski UW Teton Graduate Scholars in Biodiversity Fellowship

Department of Zoology and Physiology 

Graduate Advisor: Lusha Tronstad 

Background:

The California Floater (Anodonta californiensis) and Western Pearlshell (Margaritifera falcata) are two species of freshwater mussels that co-exist in the Bear River drainage of Wyoming and are Species of Greatest Conservation Need (NSS1). They are essential for the continuation of healthy river basins because they filter water, are a rich food source for wildlife, recycle nutrients, and provide habitat and food for aquatic invertebrates. In Wyoming the California Floater mussel is declining throughout their native range. Western Pearlshell mussels are also declining but their populations appear healthy in the state. Currently, little information is known regarding California Floater recruitment or distribution throughout the Bear River Watershed and few live juveniles have been found during the last decade. The goals of this project are to better understand the life cycle of the California Floater by measuring what factors may inhibit reproduction and to learn more about their status and reproductive strategies. We will also simultaneously survey Western Pearlshell mussels as a comparison. This project aims to provide critical information on the distribution, abundance, and reproduction of these mussels within the Bear River Watershed to inform management decisions.

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