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Zebra Mussel Invasion of the Great Lakes

Zebra Mussel Invasion of the Great Lakes. By Leslie Zaikis, Rachel Sullivan and Heather Chirco. Finger-nail sized mussels Native to Asia Recently brought to North America from Europe First found in Lake St. Clair Invasion has had many effects. Introduction. What is a zebra mussel?

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Zebra Mussel Invasion of the Great Lakes

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  1. Zebra Mussel Invasion of the Great Lakes By Leslie Zaikis, Rachel Sullivan and Heather Chirco

  2. Finger-nail sized mussels Native to Asia Recently brought to North America from Europe First found in Lake St. Clair Invasion has had many effects Introduction

  3. What is a zebra mussel? History of the Invasion Positive Effects Negative Effects Methods of Control Future Presentation Overview

  4. What is a zebra mussel? • Dreissena polymorpha • Striped shell pattern • Size of a thumb-nail • Attach to almost any hard surface • Temperate, freshwater species • Found 2-7 meters deep

  5. What is a zebra mussel? • Extraordinary ability to reproduce • Can lay over 1 million eggs in a season • Spawning catalyzed by temperature and food • Natural biofilters • Have the ability to remove excess algae and restore bodies of water • 1 zebra mussel can filter 1 liter of water per day • However, tissues absorb contaminants in the water

  6. History of the Invasion • Originally from the Caspian and Black Seas in Asia • Brought from Europe from Ballast Water in ships • First spotted in Lake St. Clair between 1986 and 1988

  7. History of the Invasion The Spread of Zebra Mussels Zebra mussel spread Mid 1980s 1997 

  8. Clear water by filtering algae Increases growth of aquatic plants Increase lake floor biodiversity Create a new food source for many native fish, birds, and other animals Monitor water contamination levels Positive Effects

  9. Negative Effects • Clog water-intake pipes • expensive to remove • Negatively affect tourism • Cut swimmers’ feet • Alter taste of drinking water

  10. Negative Effects • Reduce energy available in the food web • Reduce many native fish populations • Caused the near extinction of some native clam species

  11. Most scientists believe total eradication is impossible Most popular and effective = chlorine treatments Harms the surrounding environment Extensive cleanup efforts required Can form dangerous carcinogens Methods of Control

  12. Methods of Control • Other chemical molluscicides • Trace amounts of potassium • Also very dangerous to surrounding species • Often more toxic to fish than mussels • Natural Predation • 176 natural predator species, especially birds and fish • Diving ducks in Europe • Competitive displacement

  13. Methods of Control • Manual Removal • High pressure wash, pipe cleaning • Mussels can come back the next year • Many other methods have been tried • Thermal changes • Acoustical vibration • Desiccation • Ultraviolet light • Electrical current filters

  14. Future • We think best method = learn to live with mussels • Other methods are invasive and harmful to the environment • Will be expensive, up to 5 billion in next 10 years • However, long term benefits will outweigh short term costs, and infrastructure can be used for many years in future • In Europe, successfully accommodated the mussels

  15. Works Cited • Beaver, J.R., Cavaletto, J.F., Gardner, W. S., Lavrentyev. (1995). Effects of the zebra mussel (Dreissena Polymorpha Pallas) on protozoa and phytoplankton from Saginaw Bay, Lake Huron. Great Lakes Resources, 21(4), 545-557. • Bierman, V., Depinto, J., and Feist, T. (2000). The effect of zebra mussels on cycling and potential bioavailability of PCBs: Case study of Saginaw Bay. United States Environmental Protection Agency.http://www.epa.gov/glnpo/invasive/zmussels/index.html. • Bossenbroek, M., Jonathan, Johnson, E., Ladd, Kraft, E., Clifford. (2006) Patterns and pathways in the post-establishment spread of non-indigenous aquatic species: the slowing invasion of North American inland lakes by the zebra mussel.  Biological Invasions across Scales: New Insights, 8(2), 475-489. • Buchan, A. J. Lucy, Chotkowski, M. A., Padilla, K. Dianna. (1996) Global Ecology and Biogeography Letters, 5(6), 353-359.

  16. Works Cited • Burlakova, L.E., Karatayev, A.Y., Kurandina, D.P., Laruelle, F., Molloy, D.P. (1997). Natural enemies of zebra mussels: Predators, parasites, and ecological competitors. Reviews in Fisheries Science, 5(1), 27-97. • Cope, G.W., Marking, L.L., Rach, J.J., Waller, L.D. (1993) Toxicity of candidate molluscicides to zebra mussels ( Dreissena Polymorpha) and selected nontarget organisms. J. Great Lakes Res., 19(4), 695-702. • Diggins, P., T., Stewart, M., K., Weimer, M. Epiphytic refugium: Are two species of invading freshwater bivalves partitioning spatial resources? Biological Invasions, 6(1), 83-88. • Depinto, V., J., Jagjit, K. (2000). The effect of zebra mussel son cycling and potential bioavailability of PCBs: Case study of Saginaw Bay. United States Environmental Protection Agency

  17. Works Cited • Great Lakes Information Network. (2006). The great lakes. Retrieved March 3, 2006, from http://www.great-lakes.net/lakes/#overview. • Great Lakes Science Center, U.S. Department of the Interior.(2004). Zebra mussels. Retrieved 23 Mar. 2006, from www.glsc.usgs.gov/main.php?content=research_invasive_zebramussel&title =Invasive Invertebrates 0&menu=research_invasive_invertebrates. • Gulf of Maine Aquarium. (2003). Zebra mussels. Retrieved February 27, 2006, from http://www.gma.org/surfing/human/zebra.html. • Muskegon Chronicle. (2006). New invasive species mussel threatens lakes. Retrieved March 1, 2006, from http://www.mlive.com/news/muchronicle/index.ssf?/base/news-8/1140347793282570.xml&coll=8.

  18. Works Cited • National Altas of the United States. ( 2006). Zebra mussels. Retrieved on 05 Apr. 2006, from <http://nationalatlas.gov/articles/biology/a_zm.html>. • Pimental, D. Aquatic nuisance species in the New York state canal and Hudson River systems and the great lakes basin: An economic and environmental assessment. Environmental Management, 35(5), 692-702. • Rhode Island Sea Grant. (1998). Zebra mussel: an unwelcome visitor. Retrieved February 27, 2006, from http://seagrant.gso.uri.edu/factsheets/zebra_mussel.html. • Trincoll Journal. (1997). The invasion of zebra mussels in north america. Retrieved February 24, 2006, from http://www.trincoll.edu/zines/tj/tj03.13.97/articles/cover.html.

  19. Works Cited • The Lake Huron Center for Coastal Conservation. (2004). Zebra mussels (dreissena polymorpha). Retrieved February 24, 2006, from http://www.lakehuron.on.ca/biodiversity/InvasiveSpecies/zebra-mussels.asp. • U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Geological Survey. (2005). Nonindigenous aquatic species. Retrieved March 1, 2006, from http://nas.er.usgs.gov/taxgroup/mollusks/default.asp. • Village of Lindenhurst. Retrieved on 05 Apr. 2006, from, http://www.lindenhurstil.org/lakescom/Images/Minutes/Zebra%20Mussels.jpg>. • Wikipedia. (2006). Zebra mussel. Retrieved March 1, 2006, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zebra_mussel.

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