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Zebra Mussels in the Great Lakes: Ecosystem Impact and Invasion Risk

Explore how zebra mussels invaded the Great Lakes, altering the ecosystem and economy, until the emergence of quagga mussels. Learn about ecological interactions, community dynamics, and the threat of invasive species in environmental biology.

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Zebra Mussels in the Great Lakes: Ecosystem Impact and Invasion Risk

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  1. Species Interactions & Community Ecology Environmental biology

  2. Case Study • Mussels & the Great Lakes • Border of US and Canada • 5 giant lakes & a number of small ones • These were formed by the last Ice Age • More polluted in the past • Took ‘Big Government’ intervention to clean up - Clean Water act, 1970 • Arrived by ship from Europe

  3. Case Study cont… • Within 2 years the mussels had established themselves in all the Great Lakes • Then spread even further to the great Mississippi River Watershed - 40% of US land mass. • Their main limiters were absent here • Predators • Competitors • Parasites

  4. Case Study cont……. • IMPACT • = Economic mostly • = industrial interference • = infrastructure damage • = Ecological • = Overeat the native phytoplankton • = Kill local molluscs • = Alter local ecology towards bottom dwellers • Permit more light penetration • Deposit organic matter on bottom

  5. Case Study cont……. • However, recently they are being replaced by another species • Quagga mussel is moving in • It is reducing the zebra mussels • What impact this new one shall have? We will have to wait and see….

  6. INVASION!!!!! • Look up and see. They are coming… • ___________

  7. What is ecology? • The study of how organisms interact with each other and their physical environment.

  8. Species Interactions • Species interact with each other • Many ways have been studied and documented • Some are beneficial to both species • Other to one or the other • And some to neither….

  9. Species interaction types

  10. Competition • Intraspecific - within a species • Example = _______________???? • Interspecific - between species • Example = _______________???? • Solution is resource partitioning = basically sharing by adapting • There is a total negative effect on both!

  11. Predation • One species kills the other to live • Predator is the killer • Prey is the victim • Example = _______________???? • Drives evolution - Natural selection • These interaction are direct and do generally cycle…

  12. Figure 5.2

  13. Parasites • No immediate death involved • Example = _______________???? • Parasite depends on the host for food and shelter • The host is harmed to some degree! • The parasite benefits entirely • Co-evolution also works here

  14. Herbivory • Animals feed on plants • Insects on plants • Example = _______________???? • Plant does not die (at least not initially) • Plants defend themselves too • Example = _______________???? • Evolutionary Arms Race!

  15. Mutualists • Both are good for each other • Provide other with something it needs • Example = _______________???? • Symbiotic • Example = _______________???? • Pollination • Example = _______________????

  16. Ecological Communities • Each has its; • Producers - make food • Consumers - • Primary - grasshoppers • Secondary - frogs • Tertiary - birds • Decomposers - Nonliving organic consumers • recyclers

  17. Food chains & Energy • As one feeds on another, in a community, there is a relationship built - this is known as the food web. • As one moves further away from produces then amount of energy available is reduced (by 90% per level) • Energy Pyramid

  18. Keystone Species • If you were to eliminate a single species from a community and see the effects of that action, one would notice: • Most have little impact • One will devastate the ecosystem • This one species is the keystone species • Example = _______________????

  19. Ecological Succession • A new volcanic island will be populated by life in a predictable way; • Primary succession - No life at beginning • Primary species = first • Example = _______________???? • Secondary succession - Some form of life or organic matter remains - and it starts with that. • WATCH ME!

  20. Biomes • What are they? • Just regions of the planet with certain similar communities of life. • The Earth has 12 such regions • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ag5ATGEplbU

  21. Biomes… • In general, there is no sharp demarcation between biomes. • Life on Earth is a continuum based on moisture and heat…

  22. Other Biomes… • Also, there are aquatic biomes too… • These are considered later in the course

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