Embedded Files
INTRODUCTION
INTRODUCTION
Watch Ranger Jessica introduce Mighty Mussels of the Mississippi River
Watch Ranger Jessica introduce Mighty Mussels of the Mississippi River
I Wonder...
I Wonder...
Why are native freshwater mussels of the Mississippi River so important to the river?
How do native freshwater mussels of the Mississippi River improve its water quality?
How is the mussels' life cycle connected to the life cycle of fishes?
Vocabulary
Vocabulary
Click the drop-down list to know your MIGHTY MUSSEL words!
Adaptation - a change in a plant or animal that makes it better able to survive and live in a particular place or situation
Confluence - the meeting of two rivers
Nacre - the same material a mussel uses for building its shell
Parasite - an animal that lives in or on another animal and takes its nourishment from that other organism.
Plankton - tiny, microscopic plants and animals that live in a body of water
Zebra Mussels - invasive, fingernail-sized mollusks that are native to fresh waters in Europe and Asia
Click the drop-down list to know your floodplain forest words!
LEARN IT!
LEARN IT!
What makes mussels so important for the Mississippi River?
What makes mussels so important for the Mississippi River?
SLIDE DECK - Mighty Mississippi Mussels
SLIDE DECK - Mighty Mississippi Mussels
Inquire: What are these things called 'mussels' and what makes them so mighty?
Click on the red 'Next' arrows to advance slides. You can also expand slide deck to a larger screen.
Inquire: Why are mussels so critical to the Mississippi River?
Click the link or picture to take an in depth look at mussels in relation to the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area.
WATCH - Fast facts about freshwater mussels
WATCH - Fast facts about freshwater mussels
Inquire: Why are freshwater mussels known as 'ecosystem engineers?'
Click to play video.
Source: Knowable Magazine
VIEW - Mussels in the Wild
VIEW - Mussels in the Wild
Inquire: How do mussels survive and how do humans play a role for helping their habitat?
Watch an animated short video to find out.
VIDEOS - See national park rangers dive for mussels!
VIDEOS - See national park rangers dive for mussels!
Inquire: Why are mussel surveys so important?
Click on arrows to both start and stop videos.
Mississippi River Mussels
Mississippi River Mussels
Join Allie, a scuba diving ranger, on a mussel survey and see what it's like below the surface of the Mississippi River, downstream from the Minnesota River confluence.
Do Mussels Have Feet?
Do Mussels Have Feet?
Join Ranger Allie underwater and see for yourself! A mussel's foot is a muscular organ that keeps it anchored in the sand and even allows it to "walk" across the river bottom.
WATCH - Thank a mussel for clean city water!
WATCH - Thank a mussel for clean city water!
Inquire: How do mussels help with keeping the city water of Minneapolis clean?
Click the white arrow to start the news video. Once started, click the pause icon in lower right of screen to pause video.
Source: WCCO News
WATCH - Freshwater mussels at Mississippi Gateway Park
WATCH - Freshwater mussels at Mississippi Gateway Park
Inquire: What's the life cycle of a mussel?
Click to start video.
Source: Three Rivers Park District
WATCH - Saving endangered mussels
WATCH - Saving endangered mussels
Inquire: Why are native mussels so important to the Mississippi River?
Click to start video.
Source: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
WATCH - Nature's rivers water filters
WATCH - Nature's rivers water filters
Inquire: What are some of the causes for the decline in numbers with freshwater mussels?
Click to play video.
DO IT!
DO IT!
The Mississippi is home to many different mussels.
The Mississippi is home to many different mussels.
Find out which ones you can identify with this fun mussel matching game!
Find out which ones you can identify with this fun mussel matching game!
ACTIVITY SLIDE DECK - Mussel Matching Master Game
ACTIVITY SLIDE DECK - Mussel Matching Master Game
Read instructions and click on the red 'Next' arrows to advance slides for best results. You can also expand to a larger screen.
KNOW IT!
KNOW IT!
Take this quick self-assessment to see what you know about mussels!
Take this quick self-assessment to see what you know about mussels!
Try to answer each question, then click its drop-down menu to see the correct answer.
Try to answer each question, then click its drop-down menu to see the correct answer.
True or False: Mussels thrive in really murky, dirty water.
True or False: Mussels thrive in really murky, dirty water.
A. True
B. False
Answet: B, False
Mussels are filter feeders which means they take in their food (algae and bacteria) by filtering the water through their gills. If there is too much sediment or dirt in the water, this can cause dirt to build up in the mussels gills and they can suffocate or starve to death. Mussels thrive in clean, clear water!
What is the correct term for a baby mussel?
What is the correct term for a baby mussel?
A. Musselette
B. Sac Fry
C. Glochidia
D. Mini Mussel
Answer: C, Glochidia
The proper term for baby mussels is "glochidia" which refer to the mussels when they are in their larval stage.
Briefly explain why zebra mussels can be harmful to native freshwater mussels.
Briefly explain why zebra mussels can be harmful to native freshwater mussels.
Zebra mussels can attach to native mussels and prevent them from feeding or block their water intake- the native mussel then suffocates or starves to death.
Zebra mussels reproduce more quickly than native mussels and their large population out competes native mussels for food.
All of these are relatives of the mussel, EXCEPT:
All of these are relatives of the mussel, EXCEPT:
A. Crayfish
B. Squid
C. Snails
D. Oyster
Answer: A
A crayfish is an "arthropod," a relative to crabs, lobsters, and insects. Mussels, squids, snails and oysters are all "mollusks."
True or False: A freshwater mussel "fish lure" is designed to catch prey to eat.
True or False: A freshwater mussel "fish lure" is designed to catch prey to eat.
A. True
B. False
Answer: B, False
A fish lure is designed to draw in a fish host. The mussel then releases its babies (glochidia) into the fishes gills. Mussels are filter feeders and eat mostly plankton, not fish.
Which of these is NOT true about river mussels?
Which of these is NOT true about river mussels?
A.You will ALWAYS find a pearl in the mussel
B. Mussels use a foot to move
C. Mussels eat plankton
D. Mussels help keep the Mississippi River clean
Answer: A
A pearl is really just an irritant that a mussel sucked in. It covers the irritant with a substance called nacre to protect itself
All of these are threats to Mississippi River mussels, EXCEPT:
All of these are threats to Mississippi River mussels, EXCEPT:
A. Zebra Mussels
B. Loss of Habitat
C. Too much sediment in the water
D. River water that is fairly clean
Answer: D
Since mussels are filter feeders, they take in whatever is in the water. This means water pollution could damage or kill them. Clean water is very good for mussels!
Which of these adds pollutants to the Mississippi River?
Which of these adds pollutants to the Mississippi River?
A. Animal Waste
B. Flooding
C. Trash swept into storm drains
D. All of the Above
Answer: D
Animal waste (like dog poop) can contain nutrients and parasites that are bad for wildlife; flooding through cities and farms can cause leaf litter, grass clippings, oil, gas, and dirt to be deposited in the river; and when we litter, this trash can be pulled into the river during heavy rains and harm wildlife such as turtles and fish.
Which of these is NOT a way to help save our native mussels?
Which of these is NOT a way to help save our native mussels?
A. Use a lot of salt on your driveway and sidewalk in winter
B. Tell your friends and family about freshwater mussels
C. Use water wisely
D. Clear leaves and garbage away from your neighborhood storm drains
Answer: A
The salt we use each winter on our sidewalks and roads eventually washes into the river. High levels of salt can kill aquatic animals and plants, so limiting road salts is essential!
True or False: Without a fish host, a mussel could not complete its life cycle.
True or False: Without a fish host, a mussel could not complete its life cycle.
A. True
B. False
Answer: A
Baby mussels spend about 8 weeks in the gills of a host fish, feeding off of blood until they are large enough to start life on their own.
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