Great Lakes Native and Invasive Species & Their Environment

1. Great Lakes Native and Invasive Species & Their Environment Presented by Deb Chopper Monday May 10,2004

2. Great Lakes Aquatic Environment • The ecology of the Great Lakes needs to be described to understand the type of native plants and aquatic organisms that have their habitat there.

3. Aquatic Environment • Basin Characteristics-drainage basin,soil, vegetation, ground water hydrology, land use, pollution • Water chemistry-hard water versus soft water(components of calcium carbonate and magnesium), alkalinity (ability to buffer amount of nutrient), pH( concentration of hydrogen ions (pH <7 acidic-pH >7 basic, phosphorus (point and non-point runoff:transference from bottom of lake), sulfate, nitrogen in varying forms(nitrites, nitrates, ammonia and organic decomposition from decaying plants and animals, sediment composition from other organic materials

4. Natural Forces • Mother Nature does the best job at providing the optimal aquatic environment • Sunlight-photosynthesis for plant production of oxygen • Wind-stratification of waters to better mix nutrients, control temperature, development of habitats for different organisms • Oxygen- critical for plant and animal survival, production of oxygen through photosynthesis, decomposition and respiration

5. Photosynthesis • Photosynthesis is essential for rooted plant growth. It is the process by which plants use CO2 and water to break down sugars which produces oxygen as a by product.The sunlight needs to permeate through water to reach aquatic life and particular organisms for their continued growth and survival.

6. Stratification • The process by which layers of water are cooled and heated creating different water densities. • Mixing of water and its nutrients by the wind. • Different organism types require different temperatures for survival

7. Oxygen • Oxygen is critical for fish and other organisms to survive. • Photosynthesis is critical but oxygen will can also be released by the plant through respiration and decomposition. These processes would occur at points where the sun does not reach..

8. Water Layers • Upper Layer-epilimnion • Middle Layer-metalimnion • Deepest Layer-hypolimnion • Each layer has decreasing temperature at varying depths. Cold water holds more oxygen. Organisms differ per temperature, light needed and available nutrients.Spring and fall turnover refers to the mixing of these waters.

9. Water Movement • Seiches-tidelike effects where on exposure of land,(which had been under water), a transfer of heat, gases, and nutrients can be exchanged • Langmuir Circulation- process of long alternating spirals of water that flow parallel to the current which meet at a windrow, where debris and nutrients are carried along with the tide

10. Water Residence Time • The speed at which water moves over a lake’s basin can affect the time required to remove pollutants after pollution has desisted

11. Limnologists • Scientists who study water chemistry and its effects on natural habitats

12. Native Aquatic Plant Communities • Limnologists divide lakes into zones • Littoral zone-shallow part of lake-where aquatic plants grow • Pelagic zone-open water too deep for rooted plants but enough light for algae • Profundal zone-below pelagic zone-light does not penetrate-sediment on bottom of lake

13. Littoral Zone • Grazed by organisms • Influence open water of lake by trapping silt and nutrients • Plants act as refuge for fish, insects • Referred to as nursery

14. Pelagic Zone • Open water • Where most phytoplankton produced (algae) which is an important part of food chain due to the multitude of fish, crustaceans, microscopic organisms that feed on it/high nutrient value • Some organism types called zooplankton include water fleas, copepods and rotifers • Other organisms would include phantom midges (they are transparent), fairy shrimp, scuds and amphipods

15. Copepod http://lakes.chebucto.org/ZOOBENTH/copepod.jpg

16. Water Flea-Daphnai lumholtzi http://www.wdc.keystone.edu/Virtual/Daphnial_lumholtzi.jpg

17. Profundal Zone • Located in the hypolimnion • Very cold temperatures and reduced light • Organisms that dwell here are detritivores-bacteria, protozoa,invertebrates, and oligochaetes ( aquatic earthworms) • Nutrients form basin sediment

18. Oligochaetes http://trem.upper-arlington.k12.oh.us/infobank/askrob/robgraphics/%20Oligochaetes.jpg

19. Zooplankton http://www.mna.it/italiano/Scopri_Antartide/img/zooplankton.jpg

20. Native Aquatic Plants to the Great Lakes • Large algae • Pondweeds • Slender naiad • Canada waterweed • Coontail • Water milfoil • Yellow & white water lily • Reed • Bulrush • Cattail

21. White Water Lily http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=naturegraphics.net/bf093%2520white%2520water%2520lilies.JPG&imgrefurl=http://naturegraphics.net/flowers01.htm&h=191&w=250&sz=12&tbnid=ZOa8rfnFFi4J:&tbnh=80&tbnw=104&start=2&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dwhite%2Bwater%2Blily%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26ie%3DUTF-8%26oe%3DUTF-8%26sa%3DG

22. Slender Naiad http://www.pkc.gov.uk/herbarium/implant%20habs/implant%20habs%206/slender%20naiad.jpg

23. Rarely a nuisance Submerged 1-20 feet Free floating plant Important habitat for aquatic species Durable in different water types Coontail http://www.apms.org/plants/coontail.jpg

24. “Invasive Species” • Defined as alien to native ecosystem • Introduction causes/likely to cause environmental harm, harm to humans or wildlife • Can be plants, animals, microbes • Human action primary mode of transmission • $137 billion yearly in economic losses • Disturb natural systems, transportation systems,endanger protected species survival www.nwf.org

25. Means of Transmittal • Almost all invasive plant and animal species in the Great Lakes area has been introduced by human interaction • Very important that individuals are educated to break the chain of survival for invasive species • Methods-empty any water/plants from boat at lake you are leaving, do not introduce new organisms to lake, dry off portals that may carry water to reduce transmission of microscopic organisms

26. Mode of Transmission

27. Non-Indigenous Plants of the Great Lakes • Green algae • Blue-green algae • Purple loosestrife • Water Chestnuts • Eurasian Water Milfoil • Water Hyacinth

28. Purple Loosestrife-

29. Water Chestnuts

30. Green Algae www.ftexploring.com/ me/pyramid.html

31. Blue-Green Algae http://www.algae.info/bgreenbloom.jpg

32. Native Organisms to the Great Lakes • First Level Carnivores-perch, sunfish, small mouth bass-feed on zooplankton, insects and invertebrates • Top Carnivores-Lake trout, walleye, large mouth bass-feed on smaller fish

33. Invasive Organisms to the Great Lakes • Sea Lamprey (eel-like) • Ruffe (spiky-fish) • Carp (large minnow) • Round Goby (small fish) • Spiny water flea • Potential threat- “killer” shrimp

34. Sea Lamprey • Parasitic fish observed in Great Lakes in 1938 • Larva live 4-7 years • Larva in stream beds • Leave wounds on large fish • Females lay 95,000 eggs yearly • Use sharp teeth to devour, suck • Fish die of loss of body fluids www.saudeanimal.com.br/ lampreia.htm

35. Zebra Mussels www.aphis.usda.gov/oa/invasive/ 8zebramu.html

36. Zebra Mussel Info • Introduced to Great Lakes • Brought into Lakes via ballast waters off of ocean going vessels • Accumulate in such mass proportions that they can block pipes, interrupt natural flow, main concern now is on the food chain • Zebra Mussels can accumulate pollutants in their bodies at much higher concentrations and pass it through the food chain via their feces-transmit to fish/birds/humans

37. Ruffe • Perch-like • Too small to fish • Competes for food • Competes for habitat • Too spiny for predators http://www.vandh.free-online.co.uk/fcc/tom/pictures/ruffe.jpg-http://www.seagrant.umn.edu/art/spruffe.jpg

38. Round Goby • Compete with other fish for habitat • Eat other fish eggs • Spawn frequently • Survive in poor quality water http://www.iisgcp.org/EXOTICSP/images/goby.jpg

39. Lake Production • Basin Morphology • Watershed Characteristics • Nutrient Supply • Climate

40. Classification of Lakes • Oligotropic-High O2 in hypolimnion, little plankton, clean, deep, low in nutrients • Entropic-Limited O2, high nutrients, shallow, algae • Mesotropic-Characterized between the other two types of lakes

41. Lake Restoration (In Lake Measures) • Aerate and circulate water • Reduce water levels • Dredge to remove sediment • Remove non-indigenous plants • Use of chemicals to control algae • Maintain fish populations

42. Great Lakes Great Facts • 95% of the United States’ freshwater covers over 295,000 square miles • Spread across the continental United States , the Great Lakes would submerge the country under 9.5 feet of water • The Great Lakes shoreline is 10,900 miles long and is equal to almost 44% of the circumference of the world • 33 million people live within its watershed • It sustains forests, wetlands, marsh, and dune communities while sustaining over 3500 species of plants and animals Facts from the National Wildlife Federation/www.nwf.org

43. Legislative Solutions • Several bills have been introduced by Congress to control the continued invasion of exotic species into the Great Lakes. • Noxious Weed Control Act of 2003-a program providing finances to weed management programs to control or eradicate harmful, nonnative weeds from private and public land • National Invasive Species Control Act (NISCA)-this bill codifies the Executive Order that established the Invasive Species Council which is responsible for coordinating all invasive species activities across the Federal government. There are twenty different Federal agencies involved in the prevention, eradication, control, monitoring, research and out reach efforts dealing with the threat of invasive species. • The National Aquatic Invasive Species Act of 2003(NAISA)seeks to reduce the invasion of alien aquatic species in the U.S.via ballast water that threatens the diversity and abundance of native wildlife, the ecological stability of infested waters and the commercial and recreational dependent on such waters • The Species Protection and Conservation of the Environmental Act(SPACE)addresses protection, conservation and restoration of native fish, wildlife and their natural habitats on federal and nonfederal lands through cooperative incentive based grants. Encourages efforts to control, mitigate and eradicate harmful nonnative species on private, state, tribal and federal lands including our National Wildlife Refuge

44. Conclusion • The Great Lakes are an international treasure that needs to be protected. The displacement of native plants and animals in their habitat by invasive species will be an ongoing problem for anyone who interacts with this unique resource. Measures have been taken within the lake community. Public policy has been established to protect the lakes. It is a national resource that needs to be continually monitored.

45. Resources Used In Research • www.nwf.org ( National Wildlife Federation) • www.apms.org (Aquatic Plant Management Society Inc) • nas.er.usgs.gov ( Non-Indigenous Aquatic Species) • www.epa.gov ( Environmental Protection Agency) • www.invasivespecies.gov ( Invasivespecies.gov)