Efficacy of in situ growth of the Asiatic clam Corbicula fluminea as a biomonitoring tool in west-central Missouri rivers

Corbicula fluminea were collected from the Little Niangua River. Four size groupings between 4.00 mm and 21.50 mm were placed in two different minimally impacted stream sites. Sites in the Blackwater watershed were selected to determine the better size group for in-situ tests in West-Central Missouri rivers. The Little Niangua in South Central Missouri was found to have an adequate abundance and size distribution of Corbicula for in situ studies. In a thirty day placement smaller initial size groups grew more than the larger initial size groups. Group 1 with a size range of 4.19 mm - 7.39 mm was significantly different (alpha=.05) at both stream sites.