Abstract
Freshwater mussels are highly vulnerable to anthropogenic disturbances and are unlikely to recover quickly from decline. Through an extensive desktop study, this thesis showed that mussels in Mediterranean-climate regions are more imperiled than other mussel species globally. Encouragingly, field surveys in southwestern Australia demonstrated that mussel populations can recover from decline if threats such as instream barriers and secondary salinity are mitigated. Further, the region's mussels have persisted through historical climate-change by contracting to refugia in multiple locations. These findings show that, despite the ongoing biodiversity crisis in freshwater ecosystems, opportunities exist for species conservation and restoration through effective management.
Original language | English |
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Qualification | Doctor of Philosophy |
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Award date | 19 Oct 2021 |
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Publication status | Unpublished - 2021 |