Freshwater Mussels;

Georgia’s Jewels In Peril

With Jason Wisniewski,

Georgia’s State Malacologist

October 2nd, 2010

10:00 – 11:00am

$3.00 for members and $5.00 for non-members

The eastern United States exhibits by far the richest diversity of freshwater mussels on the planet.  Although we are blessed with such diversity, it is estimated that perhaps 70% of our freshwater mussels are extinct, endangered, or in need of special protection. Freshwater mussels are a huge indicator  of our water quality. Jason will discuss  the freshwater mussel diversity of North America with a specific focus on Georgia speciesusing a PowerPoint presentation and a few short videos showing  life history behaviors.

Jason Wisniewski, while working on his Masters at Tennessee Technological University, developed new techniques for culturing freshwater mussels and also sampled rivers throughout Tennessee, North Carolina, and Kentucky.  In 2004 he became Georgia's first state malacologist where he’s had to opportunity to see some of the most beautiful places in the state. 

RSVP