Catastrophic Decline of Mussels 



activity and the results of our study implicate strip-mining as the cause 

 of the mussel kill. Because unionids are among the most sensitive 

 organisms to acid mine drainage and siltation (Simmons and Reed 

 1973), their protection may require stricter regulations on strip-mining 

 or increased monitoring of mining activities and better enforcement of 

 existing regulations. 



ACKNOWLEDGMENTS.— We thank Donald P. Clover, Scott L. 

 Niemela, and Tina M. Theyel for their assistance in sampling. We thank 

 Steven A. Ahlstedt (Tennessee Valley Authority), Richard G. Biggins 

 and Lynn B. Starnes (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service), Sam M. Call 

 (Kentucky Division of Water), Guenther A. Schuster (Eastern Kentucky 

 University), and personnel of the Kentucky Department for Surface 

 Mining Reclamation and Enforcement for providing unpublished data. 

 This study was funded by the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency and 

 Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources under Section 6 

 of the Endangered Species Act. Additional funds and support were 

 provided by the Center for the Management, Utilization, and Protection 

 of Water Resources, Tennessee Technological University. 



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