Utilizing the grazing effect of fresh water clams (Unio douglasiae) for the remediation of algal bloom during summer

The occurrence of 'algal bloom', caused by the mass proliferation of phytoplankton, causes serious problems in streams and lakes in Korea. Therefore, in this study, the phytoplankton filter-feeding trait of Unio douglasiae, a type of freshwater clam, was used to reduce the algal bloom in outdoor water tanks during the summer. This involved the construction of a U. douglasiae cultivation apparatus, wherein 1,000 clams were divided into 8 rectangular baskets arranged in the shape of an empty square. The control tank was manufactured in exactly the same shape within the water tank, but without the addition of clams. The algal bloom-reducing effect of U. douglasiae was confirmed by the measurement of (and comparing between) the water quality at the center and periphery of the test and control cultivation apparatus. Water quality measurements included the measurement of water temperature, pH, turbidity, dissolved oxygen (DO) content, and chlorophyll-${\alpha}$ concentrations; the water quality was measured twice a month between June and November 2014.The results of these analyses did not show a significant difference in water quality (temperature, pH, turbidity, DO) between the center and periphery of the test and control tanks. However, the chlorophyll-${\alpha}$ concentration was observed to be much lower at the center of the test tank compared to that at the center and periphery of the control tank, as well as at the periphery of the test tank. This was believed to be a result of the U. douglasiae surrounding the center of the test tank, which prevented the influx of plankton from the periphery. Accordingly, the results of these analyses suggest the possibility that U. douglasiae cultivation could reduce the proliferation of algal blooms in lakes and streams during the summer. In particular, these results indicate possible improvements in U. douglasiae activity (reduction in algal blooms) by their effective arrangement in the water bodies.