Environmental structure conditions of irrigation canals on Unionoid mussels

Abstract

In order to study the environmental structure of canals, a habitat for Unionoid mussels field investigation was carried out from April to November 2012 in six canals which take water from the same river. As a result, two species of Pronodularia japonensis and Anodonta japonica Clessin inhabited in only one of the canals. The study details on shell length showed that species breeding had occurred. Comparison between the inhabited canal and other canals further revealed differences in sediment composition sizes. The inhabited canal was found to have particle sizes of more than 1mm and less than 5mm a counting for move than 40% of total deposited material. Furthermore, appropriate flow velocity value was important for deposition of the sediment. The best velocity value may found to be related to water management structures such as diversion.