How to sample a freshwater mussel mass mortality event

Although there has been a recent increase in interest in understanding the causes of freshwater mussel mass mortality events (MMEs), standardised methodologies for how best to respond to them to facilitate diagnoses were unavailable. When an MME is observed, swift sample collection is imperative owing to the transient nature of these phenomena. To facilitate rapid and appropriate sampling of MMEs, we have provided a set of standardised procedures outlining how to sample mussels from an MME, from preparation to sample preservation. The procedures we outline could engender a deeper understanding of the causes of MMEs and other mortality events across the globe and could be broadly applied across many taxa. This paper is published in BES, Methods in Ecology and Evolution. https://besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/2041-210X.14480