Mollusc survey of the Hanford Site, Benton and Franklin Counties, Washington

Technical Report · Sat May 01 04:00:00 EDT 1993

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/10158482· OSTI ID:10158482

Frest, T J; Johannes, E J

Assessment of the beneficial uses of the Columbia River and surrounding land at Hanford is enhanced by knowing the distribution of the plants and animals that live there. Deixis Consultants conducted surveys to determine the distribution of land and freshwater molluscs (malacofauna) on the US Department of Energy`s Hanford Site and surrounding areas for the Pacific Northwest Laboratory. The surveys were conducted in 1992. Five species of freshwater molluscs and six species of land snails were found at 21 localities on the Site. The malacofauna of the Site is sparse in comparison to that of other areas in Washington with roughly comparable substrate and climate. Most species found at Hanford are widely distributed forms or are introduced (nonnative) taxa. The Site does have a single endemic land snail, Cryptomastix n. sp., found at a single location. This species likely will be considered a candidate for federal listing. Geologic factors and human modification of spring habitats are the likely causes for the depauperate malacofauna.

• Research Organization: Pacific Northwest Lab., Richland, WA (United States); Deixis Consultants, Seattle, WA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC06-76RL01830
• OSTI ID: 10158482
• Report Number(s): PNL--8653; ON: DE93014372
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540210
540310
540350
AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS
BASIC STUDIES
COLUMBIA RIVER
ECOSYSTEMS
HABITAT
HANFORD RESERVATION
MOLLUSCS
POPULATIONS
SITE RESOURCE AND USE STUDIES
SNAILS
SPECIES DIVERSITY
SURVEYS
TAXONOMY