Potential Impacts of Invasive Quagga Mussels on Diet and Feeding Habitats of Young of the Year Striped Bass in Lake Mohave, Nevada, USA

ABSTRACT Morone saxatilis (striped bass) is a sport ‘sh introduced to Lake Mohave, which developed aself-sustaining population over the late 1900s. With the introduction of Dreissena rostriformis (quagga mussels) around 2006 in Lake Mohave, the young of the year (YOY) Morone saxatilis began to die off. From July 2011 to April 2012, both quagga mussels and YOY striped bass were collected from Lake Mohave, and stomach content analysis were conducted to compare diet. While results showed some overlap in the diets of both species, they did not necessarily indicate direct competition as the sole reason for the loss of YOY striped bass. It is more likely that the reasons for Morone saxatilis YOY mortality are part of more complex trophic interactions.