TRACE ELEMENTS IN THE FRESHWATER BIVALVE LAMPSILIS CARDIUM FROM THE O'SHAUGNESSEY RESERVOIR, COLUMBUS, OHIO

Many studies have shown that molluscan bivalve shells record the elemental concentrations of the water in which they grow. However, much is still unknown about trace element records within freshwater bivalve shells. To better understand this relationship, trace element data was collected weekly from the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium Freshwater Mussel Conservation and Research Center and the adjacent O’shaugnessey reservoir in 2010. Several specimens of the freshwater bivalve Lampsilis cardium were collected in April, September, and December, 2010. Comparison of trace elements from the water and the shells will give us a better understanding of the relationships between elemental concentrations of L. cardium and its environment. Preliminary results show that barium and strontium have similar profiles between shells that may be indicative of an environmental or ontogenetic change. We document the first clear environmentally driven barium peaks in freshwater shells. Ontogenetic patterns in trace element data will be observed through complete sets of samples taken from umbo to commissure along the maximum axis of growth and compared to environmental data. These data should provide greater insight into to the information trace elements provide about bivalves and their environments. These results could then be applied to reconstruct paleoenvironments using fossil shells.