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Freshwater mussels contribute important ecological functions to aquatic systems. The water filtered by mussel assemblages can improve water quality, and the mixing of sediments by burrowing mussels can improve oxygen content and release nutrients. However, nearly 70 percent of North American freshwater mussel species are listed as either endangered, threatened, or in decline. In Ontario, 28 species are in decline or in need of protection.

The toxicity of pharmaceuticals finasteride (FIN) and melengestrol acetate (MGA) was assessed in freshwater mussels, including acute (48 h) aqueous tests with glochidia from Lampsilis siliquoidea, a sub-chronic (14 days) sediment test with gravid Lampsilis fasciola, chronic (28 days) sediment tests with juvenile L. siliquoidea, and in chronic (42 days) sediment tests with the amphipod Hyalella azteca and the mayfly Hexagenia spp. Testing with mussels assessed survival (glochidia, juvenile mussels), burial ability (juvenile mussels), and filtering and luring behaviour, and viability of brooding glochidia (gravid mussels). Testing with amphipods assessed survival, growth, reproduction and sex ratio. Testing with mayflies assessed survival and growth.

The toxicity of pharmaceuticals finasteride (FIN) and melengestrol acetate (MGA) was assessed in freshwater mussels, including an acute (48 h) aqueous tests with glochidia from Lampsilis siliquoidea, a sub-chronic (14 days) sediment test with gravid female Lampsilis fasciola, and chronic (21 and 28 days) sediment tests with juvenile L. siliquoidea. Glochidia viability was assessed in the 48 hour test; behaviour and glochidia viability were assessed in the 14 day test; and survival and burial was assessed in the 21 and 28 day tests.

These data contain the results of chronic toxicity tests with perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) to Hyalella azteca and Fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) to set a PFOA freshwater target concentration for cleanup of industrial sites. Citation: Bartlett AJ, De Silva AO, Schissler DM, Hedges AM, Brown LR, Shires K, Miller J, Sullivan C, Spencer C, Parrott JL. 2021. Lethal and sublethal toxicity of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) in chronic tests with Hyalella azteca (amphipod) and early-life stage tests with Pimephales promelas (fathead minnow).

Data are contaminants in tissue of caged mussels put in the river for 3 weeks at about 25 stations located on the Canadian and US side of the river. The main objective of the study is to identify contaminant sources, or source areas requiring more detailed follow-up investigations, based on the level  of contaminants in the mussels. Compounds monitored include: * organochlorinated pesticides * Polychlorinated biphenyls * dioxins/furan * chlorinated benzenes * Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons * industrial organic compounds

Multiple metabolic, immune and reproductive effects have been reported in fish residing in effluent-impacted sites. Natural stressors such as parasites also have been shown to impact the responses of organisms to chronic exposure to municipal effluent in the St. Lawrence River (Quebec, Canada). In order to comprehensively evaluate the cumulative impacts of anthropogenic and natural stressors on the health of yellow perch, differential mRNA transcription profiles were examined in juvenile females collected from effluent-impacted and upstream sites with low or high infection levels of the larval trematode Apophallus brevis. Transcriptomics was used to identify biological pathways associated with environmental exposure.

Data collected from the Mussel Monitoring Program. Information includes date collected, year, month, water temperature, mussel larvae concentration, mussel larvae minimum size, mussel larvae maximum size, mussel larvae pre set size (%), mussel larvae set size (%), Pseudo nitzschia cells), tunicate larvae - Ciona, tunicate larvae - Styela, Tunicate Larvae – Botryllus, Tunicate Larvae – Botrylloides.

The Advanced Manufacturing Investment Strategy focused on manufacturing companies that were investing in leading edge technologies and processes to increase their productivity and competitiveness in Ontario. Projects must have had a minimum total project value of $10 million or create/retain 50 or more high value jobs within 5 years. Ontario's Advanced Manufacturing Investment Strategy is no longer accepting applications, but has been very successful to date in meeting its objectives. This data set contains a list of recipients of Advanced Manufacturing Investment Strategy from 2006 to 2012.

Rocky Mountain Ridged Mussels (Gonidea angulata) are listed under the Species at Risk Act (SARA) as a species of special concern and have been re-assessed by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) as endangered. These fresh water mussels are only found in Canada in the Okanagan Valley of British Columbia. As a continuation of previous work and to inform future assessments and conservation efforts within this geographic range, seven easily accessible sites known to have high densities of G. angulata were selected as prospective index sites to monitor relative abundance (i.e. mussel bed density) using snorkel surveys.

Neonicotinoids are the most widely used insecticides in the world. They are preferentially toxic to insects while displaying a low toxicity toward vertebrates, and this selective toxicity has resulted in the rapid and ubiquitous use of these compounds. However, neonicotinoids have been detected in agricultural surface waters and are known to cause adverse effects in non-target aquatic organisms. A wide range of toxicity has been reported for aquatic crustaceans, but most of the studies focus on the acute effects of imidacloprid, and few data are available regarding chronic effects of other neonicotinoids or neonicotinoid replacements (e.g., butenolides).