Sensitivity of Pseudunio auricularius to metals and ammonia: first evaluation

Populations of the critically endangered freshwater mussel Pseudunio auricularius (Spengler, 1793) have been suffering sharp declines, particularly in the Ebro basin (Iberian Peninsula). Among other factors, pollution could be responsible for these declines. We conducted, for the first time, acute toxicological tests (96 h) with heavy metals and ammonia on P. auricularius juveniles. The resulting LC50 values, in decreasing order of sensitivity,...