Invasive Species in the Great Lakes

1. Invasive Species in the Great Lakes Curtis Nordmann Derrick Ousley Hunter Sloderbeck

2. Invasive Species • Organisms that thrive in new territory where they are free of predators, diseases, or resource limitations that may have controlled their population in their native habitat. • Mussels that gather on the bottom of boats, fish move through and invading other water systems, and plants growing wildly without control.

5. Animal species • Round Goby • Sea lamprey • Eurasian Ruffle • Alewife • Asian Carp • Zebra Mussels • Spiny Water Flea

6. Plant Species • Common Reed • Reed Canary Grass • Purple Loosestrife • Curly Pondweed • Eurasian Milfoil • Frogbit • Cattails

7. Problem

8. Why it’s a Problem • They have no predators • Choking out the natural species of wildlife • Eating much of the local food supplies • Eating or killing other organisms young • Impact agricultural ecosystems • Control costs and environmental damages can add up in total cost

9. How big of a Problem • Local (Wabash River, fields, and local Lakes) • State-wide • National

10. How long • Zebra Mussels- 1988 • Asian Carp- 1970’s • Round Goby- 1995 (Showed up in Superior) • Purple Loosestrife- Early 1800’s • Alewife- 1954 • Spiny Water Flea- 1984 • Curly Pondweed- Mid 1800’s • Reed Canary Grass- Early 1800’s • Eurasian Milfoil- 1950’s to 80’s • Common Reed- Early 1900’s

11. Surrounding Environment

12. Surrounding Organisms

13. Causes • Economics, trade, commerce, and the fulfillment of cultural needs. (Carp brought in to keep water quality good for catfish farmers)(Plants were brought in for enjoyment/beauty but then took over and spread) • Plants were successful and efficient seed producers, and had root made of rhizome. • Ballast Water

14. BenefittedNot Benefitted • The invasive species • Animals that eat invasive plants • Muskie and bigger game fish that eat baby carp • Insects • Native plants and animals • Commercial fishers • Beaches (zebra mussels)

15. Validation for invasive species • Mother Nature • Natural Selection • Human wants/needs

16. Arguments For Against • Carp and zebra mussels help to clean and improve water quality • Certain markets for invasive species • Landscapes/Scenery (cattails) • Biodiversity is decreasing • Destroying natural habitat in and around Great Lakes

17. Solutions • Electric wall in the Mississippi River to Lake Michigan • All ocean-going ships must rinse out their empty ballast tanks with seawater at least 200 nautical miles from the mouth of the Saint Lawrence Seaway that leads into the Great lakes • Fires

18. Ideas against these Solutions • The electrical wall can prohibit other fish from traveling to feeding/breeding grounds • Fire can spread to natural plants • Vast increase in invasive species • Natural Selection

19. Organizations/Programs • U.S. Environmental Protection Agency • ISSG (invasive species specialist group) • Department of Natural Resources

20. Link about carp • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wdyTBQU5Hvs

22. Works Cited • http://www.epa.gov/greatlakes/invasive/ • http://www.nationalatlas.gov/articles/biology/a_invasive.html • http://www.seagrant.umn.edu/ais/roundgoby • http://seagrant.wisc.edu/greatlakesfish/roundgoby.html • http://www.nationalatlas.gov/articles/biology/a_invasive.html • http://www.seagrant.umn.edu/ais/purpleloosestrife_info • http://www.great-lakes.net/envt/flora-fauna/invasive/spinyflea.html • http://dnr.wi.gov/invasives/fact/reed_canary.htm • http://www.actionbioscience.org/biodiversity/simberloff.html • http://www.great-lakes.net/teach/pollution/ans/ans_4.html • http://www.alternet.org/water/79304/great_lakes_endangered_by_invasive_species/ • http://seagrant.wisc.edu/greatlakesfish/alewife.html • http://www.nps.gov/plants/alien/fact/phau1.htm • http://www.oregon.gov/OISC/docs/pdf/economics_invasive.pdf?ga=