Steam and Flame Applications as Novel Methods of Population Control for Invasive Asian Clam (Corbicula fluminea) and Zebra Mussel (Dreissena polymorpha)

Neil E. Coughlan; Eoghan M. Cunningham; Stephen Potts; Diarmuid McSweeney; Emma Healey; Jaimie T.A. Dick; Gina Y.W. Vong; Kate Crane; Joe M. Caffrey; Frances E. Lucy; Eithne Davis; Ross N. Cuthbert

doi:10.1007/s00267-020-01325-1

Steam and Flame Applications as Novel Methods of Population Control for Invasive Asian Clam (Corbicula fluminea) and Zebra Mussel (Dreissena polymorpha)

Neil E. Coughlan^*, Eoghan M. Cunningham, Stephen Potts, Diarmuid McSweeney, Emma Healey, Jaimie T.A. Dick, Gina Y.W. Vong, Kate Crane, Joe M. Caffrey, Frances E. Lucy, Eithne Davis, Ross N. Cuthbert

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

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Abstract

Control strategies for established populations of invasive alien species can be costly and complex endeavours, which are frequently unsuccessful. Therefore, rapid-reaction techniques that are capable of maximising efficacy whilst minimising environmental damage are urgently required. The Asian clam (Corbicula fluminea Müller, 1774), and the zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha Pallas, 1771), are invaders capable of adversely affecting the functioning and biodiversity of freshwater ecosystems. Despite efforts to implement substantial population-control measures, both species continue to spread and persist within freshwater environments. As bivalve beds often become exposed during low-water conditions, this study examined the efficacy of steam-spray (≥100 °C, 350 kPa) and open-flame burn treatments (~1000 °C) to kill exposed individuals. Direct steam exposure lasting for 5 min caused 100% mortality of C. fluminea buried at a depth of 3 cm. Further, combined rake and thermal shock treatments, whereby the substrate is disturbed between each application of either a steam or open flame, caused 100% mortality of C. fluminea specimens residing within a 4-cm deep substrate patch, following three consecutive treatment applications. However, deeper 8-cm patches and water-saturated substrate reduced maximum bivalve species mortality rates to 77% and 70%, respectively. Finally, 100% of D. polymorpha specimens were killed following exposure to steam and open-flame treatments lasting for 30 s and 5 s, respectively. Overall, our results confirm the efficacy of thermal shock treatments as a potential tool for substantial control of low-water-exposed bivalves. Although promising, our results require validation through upscaling to field application, with consideration of other substrate types, increased substrate depth, greater bivalve densities, non-target and long-term treatment effects.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	654-663
Number of pages	10
Journal	Environmental Management
Volume	66
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/s00267-020-01325-1
Publication status	Published - 05 Jul 2020

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
The authors gratefully acknowledge support from the Irish Environmental Protection Agency project “Prevention, control and eradication of invasive alien species” (2015-NC-MS-4). JTAD also acknowledges funding received from the Natural Environment Research Council. RNC acknowledges funding from the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation. We particularly thank Inland Fisheries Ireland for specimen collection. We also thank Dr. Lawrence Eagling, Dr. Patrick Joyce, Dr. Nick Horne and Simon Exley for their helpful contributions.

Publisher Copyright:
© 2020, The Author(s).

Copyright:
Copyright 2020 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.

Keywords

Biosecurity
Eradication
Invasive alien species
Open-flame heat torch
Population control
Thermal shock

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Global and Planetary Change
Ecology
Pollution

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1007/s00267-020-01325-1Licence: CC BY

Steam and Flame Applications as Novel Methods of Population Control for Invasive Asian Clam (Corbicula fluminea) and Zebra Mussel (Dreissena polymorpha)
Copyright 2020 the authors. This is an open access article published under a Creative Commons Attribution License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the author and source are cited.
Final published version, 985 KBLicence: CC BY

Aquatic invasive alien species : identification, distribution, impact, control & biosecurity
Crane, K. (Author), Dick, J. T. A. (Supervisor), Reid, N. (Supervisor), Kregting, L. (Supervisor), Ricciardi, A. (Supervisor) & MacIsaac, H. J. (Supervisor), Jul 2019
Student thesis: Doctoral Thesis › Doctor of Philosophy

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Coughlan, N. E., Cunningham, E. M., Potts, S., McSweeney, D., Healey, E., Dick, J. T. A., Vong, G. Y. W., Crane, K., Caffrey, J. M., Lucy, F. E., Davis, E., & Cuthbert, R. N. (2020). Steam and Flame Applications as Novel Methods of Population Control for Invasive Asian Clam (Corbicula fluminea) and Zebra Mussel (Dreissena polymorpha). Environmental Management, 66, 654-663. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00267-020-01325-1

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title = "Steam and Flame Applications as Novel Methods of Population Control for Invasive Asian Clam (Corbicula fluminea) and Zebra Mussel (Dreissena polymorpha)",

abstract = "Control strategies for established populations of invasive alien species can be costly and complex endeavours, which are frequently unsuccessful. Therefore, rapid-reaction techniques that are capable of maximising efficacy whilst minimising environmental damage are urgently required. The Asian clam (Corbicula fluminea M{\"u}ller, 1774), and the zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha Pallas, 1771), are invaders capable of adversely affecting the functioning and biodiversity of freshwater ecosystems. Despite efforts to implement substantial population-control measures, both species continue to spread and persist within freshwater environments. As bivalve beds often become exposed during low-water conditions, this study examined the efficacy of steam-spray (≥100 °C, 350 kPa) and open-flame burn treatments (~1000 °C) to kill exposed individuals. Direct steam exposure lasting for 5 min caused 100% mortality of C. fluminea buried at a depth of 3 cm. Further, combined rake and thermal shock treatments, whereby the substrate is disturbed between each application of either a steam or open flame, caused 100% mortality of C. fluminea specimens residing within a 4-cm deep substrate patch, following three consecutive treatment applications. However, deeper 8-cm patches and water-saturated substrate reduced maximum bivalve species mortality rates to 77% and 70%, respectively. Finally, 100% of D. polymorpha specimens were killed following exposure to steam and open-flame treatments lasting for 30 s and 5 s, respectively. Overall, our results confirm the efficacy of thermal shock treatments as a potential tool for substantial control of low-water-exposed bivalves. Although promising, our results require validation through upscaling to field application, with consideration of other substrate types, increased substrate depth, greater bivalve densities, non-target and long-term treatment effects.",

keywords = "Biosecurity, Eradication, Invasive alien species, Open-flame heat torch, Population control, Thermal shock",

author = "Coughlan, {Neil E.} and Cunningham, {Eoghan M.} and Stephen Potts and Diarmuid McSweeney and Emma Healey and Dick, {Jaimie T.A.} and Vong, {Gina Y.W.} and Kate Crane and Caffrey, {Joe M.} and Lucy, {Frances E.} and Eithne Davis and Cuthbert, {Ross N.}",

note = "Funding Information: The authors gratefully acknowledge support from the Irish Environmental Protection Agency project “Prevention, control and eradication of invasive alien species” (2015-NC-MS-4). JTAD also acknowledges funding received from the Natural Environment Research Council. RNC acknowledges funding from the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation. We particularly thank Inland Fisheries Ireland for specimen collection. We also thank Dr. Lawrence Eagling, Dr. Patrick Joyce, Dr. Nick Horne and Simon Exley for their helpful contributions. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2020, The Author(s). Copyright: Copyright 2020 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.",

year = "2020",

month = jul,

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doi = "10.1007/s00267-020-01325-1",

language = "English",

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journal = "Environmental Management",

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Coughlan, NE, Cunningham, EM, Potts, S, McSweeney, D, Healey, E , Dick, JTA, Vong, GYW, Crane, K, Caffrey, JM, Lucy, FE, Davis, E & Cuthbert, RN 2020, 'Steam and Flame Applications as Novel Methods of Population Control for Invasive Asian Clam (Corbicula fluminea) and Zebra Mussel (Dreissena polymorpha)', Environmental Management, vol. 66, pp. 654-663. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00267-020-01325-1

TY - JOUR

T1 - Steam and Flame Applications as Novel Methods of Population Control for Invasive Asian Clam (Corbicula fluminea) and Zebra Mussel (Dreissena polymorpha)

AU - Coughlan, Neil E.

AU - Cunningham, Eoghan M.

AU - Potts, Stephen

AU - McSweeney, Diarmuid

AU - Healey, Emma

AU - Dick, Jaimie T.A.

AU - Vong, Gina Y.W.

AU - Crane, Kate

AU - Caffrey, Joe M.

AU - Lucy, Frances E.

AU - Davis, Eithne

AU - Cuthbert, Ross N.

N1 - Funding Information: The authors gratefully acknowledge support from the Irish Environmental Protection Agency project “Prevention, control and eradication of invasive alien species” (2015-NC-MS-4). JTAD also acknowledges funding received from the Natural Environment Research Council. RNC acknowledges funding from the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation. We particularly thank Inland Fisheries Ireland for specimen collection. We also thank Dr. Lawrence Eagling, Dr. Patrick Joyce, Dr. Nick Horne and Simon Exley for their helpful contributions. Publisher Copyright: © 2020, The Author(s). Copyright: Copyright 2020 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.

PY - 2020/7/5

Y1 - 2020/7/5

N2 - Control strategies for established populations of invasive alien species can be costly and complex endeavours, which are frequently unsuccessful. Therefore, rapid-reaction techniques that are capable of maximising efficacy whilst minimising environmental damage are urgently required. The Asian clam (Corbicula fluminea Müller, 1774), and the zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha Pallas, 1771), are invaders capable of adversely affecting the functioning and biodiversity of freshwater ecosystems. Despite efforts to implement substantial population-control measures, both species continue to spread and persist within freshwater environments. As bivalve beds often become exposed during low-water conditions, this study examined the efficacy of steam-spray (≥100 °C, 350 kPa) and open-flame burn treatments (~1000 °C) to kill exposed individuals. Direct steam exposure lasting for 5 min caused 100% mortality of C. fluminea buried at a depth of 3 cm. Further, combined rake and thermal shock treatments, whereby the substrate is disturbed between each application of either a steam or open flame, caused 100% mortality of C. fluminea specimens residing within a 4-cm deep substrate patch, following three consecutive treatment applications. However, deeper 8-cm patches and water-saturated substrate reduced maximum bivalve species mortality rates to 77% and 70%, respectively. Finally, 100% of D. polymorpha specimens were killed following exposure to steam and open-flame treatments lasting for 30 s and 5 s, respectively. Overall, our results confirm the efficacy of thermal shock treatments as a potential tool for substantial control of low-water-exposed bivalves. Although promising, our results require validation through upscaling to field application, with consideration of other substrate types, increased substrate depth, greater bivalve densities, non-target and long-term treatment effects.

AB - Control strategies for established populations of invasive alien species can be costly and complex endeavours, which are frequently unsuccessful. Therefore, rapid-reaction techniques that are capable of maximising efficacy whilst minimising environmental damage are urgently required. The Asian clam (Corbicula fluminea Müller, 1774), and the zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha Pallas, 1771), are invaders capable of adversely affecting the functioning and biodiversity of freshwater ecosystems. Despite efforts to implement substantial population-control measures, both species continue to spread and persist within freshwater environments. As bivalve beds often become exposed during low-water conditions, this study examined the efficacy of steam-spray (≥100 °C, 350 kPa) and open-flame burn treatments (~1000 °C) to kill exposed individuals. Direct steam exposure lasting for 5 min caused 100% mortality of C. fluminea buried at a depth of 3 cm. Further, combined rake and thermal shock treatments, whereby the substrate is disturbed between each application of either a steam or open flame, caused 100% mortality of C. fluminea specimens residing within a 4-cm deep substrate patch, following three consecutive treatment applications. However, deeper 8-cm patches and water-saturated substrate reduced maximum bivalve species mortality rates to 77% and 70%, respectively. Finally, 100% of D. polymorpha specimens were killed following exposure to steam and open-flame treatments lasting for 30 s and 5 s, respectively. Overall, our results confirm the efficacy of thermal shock treatments as a potential tool for substantial control of low-water-exposed bivalves. Although promising, our results require validation through upscaling to field application, with consideration of other substrate types, increased substrate depth, greater bivalve densities, non-target and long-term treatment effects.

KW - Biosecurity

KW - Eradication

KW - Invasive alien species

KW - Open-flame heat torch

KW - Population control

KW - Thermal shock

U2 - 10.1007/s00267-020-01325-1

DO - 10.1007/s00267-020-01325-1

M3 - Article

C2 - 32627081

AN - SCOPUS:85087512083

SN - 0364-152X

VL - 66

SP - 654

EP - 663

JO - Environmental Management

JF - Environmental Management

ER -

Steam and Flame Applications as Novel Methods of Population Control for Invasive Asian Clam (Corbicula fluminea) and Zebra Mussel (Dreissena polymorpha)

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

UN SDGs

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Student theses

Aquatic invasive alien species : identification, distribution, impact, control & biosecurity

Cite this