Our Proposed Sampling Regime
Continue quantitative sampling of the Interstate Park area, taking 120 0.25 m2 quadrats to examine the trends in the total mussel community density.
Begin qualitative sampling of areas known to harbor populations of Quadrula fragosa. This will involve collecting 2500 mussels with pustules from this area (Cyclonaias tuberculata, Quadrula fragosa, Q. metanevra, Q. pustulosa and Q. quadrula) and determining the percentage of these mussels that are Q. fragosa. Changes in this proportion, along with changes in the total mussel community can be used to infer changes in the number of this endangered species.