Overwinter survival of Corbicula fluminea in a central Minnesota lake

Although Corbicula fluminea has been one of the more prolific freshwater invasive species in the world, previous studies have suggested a low probability for overwinter survival in northern latitudes without an artificially created thermal refuge. The discovery of live C. fluminea in a central Minnesota lake absent any known thermal refuge in 2020 presented an opportunity to further evaluate the overwinter survival and population structure of C. fluminea at the presumed edge of their potential range. The population was monitored from December 2020 through September 2021 alongside water temperature to better understand at which temperatures C. fluminea survived and if the population structure suggested reproduction occurring in the lake. We documented live C. fluminea in temperatures as low as 0.3°C. Shell size of recovered individuals suggested multiple cohorts, and the appearance of a new cohort at the end of the study, indicating active reproduction in the lake and suggesting the population had likely been present in the lake for at least two winters by the conclusion of the study period. Our findings provide evidence of the survival below historically documented lower lethal temperature limits and suggests adaptations to modeling predicting suitable habitat, both present and in a changing climate, are necessary to better assess risk of invasion by this species.