The Functional Ecology of Freshwater Mussels

A comprehensive synthesis of mussel-driven ecosystem processes and their role in freshwater sustainability. Freshwater mussels are among the most endangered animals on the planet-and some of the most ecologically important.As powerful filter feeders and ecosystem engineers, mussels influence everything from water clarity and nutrient cycling to the structure of entire aquatic communities.In The Functional Ecology of Freshwater Mussels, Caryn C.Vaughn offers the most comprehensive synthesis to date of how mussels shape the ecosystems they inhabit.Integrating more than 30 years of original field and laboratory research with a rapidly expanding global literature, Vaughn examines how mussels support water quality, contribute to biogeochemical processes, influence food web dynamics, and enhance biodiversity across aquatic and adjacent terrestrial environments.Chapters detail the biology and life history of mussels, the complex interactions within their communities, and the environmental con