Zebra Moussels Threat Aquatic Ecosystems

Today, what once was a scenic lake is covered in chest-high weeds. “ Boaters and fisherman enjoy going to Lake Bridgeport during the summer. But in the summer of 2013 the boat ramps were unusable so the number of residents going to the lake dropped. There are dead fish floating to the shoreline as well as many other wildlife animals. The lake tested positive for Zebra Mussel larva, which is shell like creatures that are very sharp and stick to boats, anchors and docks. The Mussels are very dangerous for the lake environment, but they also eat bacteria so they could help the lake water clear up. If no water is drained out of Lake Bridgeport then the residents of Eagle Mountain Lake and Lake Worth could possibly run out of drinking water.

As well as pollution, invasive species are damaging the lake ecosystems and food chains, made fragile by pollution and overfishing. The introduction of a new species throws off the balance of food chains. Some common invasive species include the sea lamprey, Asian carp, and zebra mussels, among many others. Zebra mussels have dramatically influenced and affected stable food chains by reducing the amount of zooplankton and phytoplankton. This presents a problem, as fish mostly feed on the drifters, and so they go hungry and die, leaving no food for larger fish to prey on. In addition to underwater disruption, it affects us as well, but only slightly. Plankton and algae especially are the most productive aquatic producers of oxygen, and by the decreasing population, we lose oxygen as well. The sea lamprey is also a problem, though it is not so influential to ecosystems as the zebra mussel.

     Colonization by zebra mussels has devastating ecological impacts on native bivalves (Mackie, 1991; Haag et al., 1993), frequently driving them to local extinction. Zebra mussels readily, perhaps preferentially, settle on native bivalves and eventually cover them over. They filter the water so efficiently that they can lower the amount of suspended food organisms below levels needed to sustain native unionids.

First of all, Zebra mussel disrupt the food chain. In the Great lakes, zebra mussels eat the plankton that small, native fish need to survive. Consequently, this hurts the native fish and the larger fish that feed them.

One of the ways that they deal with the zebra mussels is through wiping out the current infestations that exist to threaten man-made structures and businesses. The way they do this is through placing chemicals in the water, mechanical scraps, and filters to prevent further spreading. Another way that humans deal with the zebra mussels is through implementing rules of cleaning crafts and live bait. This is done in order to prevent any further introduction of bodies of water. However, there are consequences if these species are left unchecked by not attempting to do the previous

The signs are plastered where everyone can see, “Clean, Drain, Dry your boat!” these words have become so well known, we are starting to forget their importance. The invasion of Zebra mussels into America’s waters has tremendously grown over the past several years and now, we are finally able to turn the tide on these treacherous creatures.

Global warming is causing an increase in the level of carbon dioxide. Higher CO2 concentrations in the atmosphere are causing warmer global temperatures which lead to warmer water temperatures. In result, as carbon dioxide dissolves in the ocean, the ocean pH decreases and causes the water to become more acidic. This process is called ocean acidification. Sadly, ocean acidification is having an impact on Mytilus Californianus. According to the article: Climate Change may be Muscling in on Mussels by Sussane Rust, the increase of the acid level in the ocean is “weakening the shells” of these mussels (Rust, 2011). In result, the weaker shell, the smaller the body size of these mussels. This would make the mussels more vulnerable to predators such as crabs. Crabs could now easily crush these mussels’ shells. Humans are also affected by this because humans wouldn’t use these mussels as food source

Picture this: School just got out for the summer and you are dying to get outside and do something fun to relax. First things first, you must pack the essentials. Food (probably more than you need), a bathing suit and of course, a fishing pole. Now, you are ready for a trip to your favorite lake. After a few hours of driving, you finally reach your destination and can’t wait to get your boat out on the water, but guess what? Upon inspection from the local DWS officer, you are sent away due to the presence of Quagga mussels on your watercraft. These miniscule invasive species have completely ruined your trip. What could you have done differently? By becoming familiar with the rules and regulations, and being educated in their growth patterns, individuals can become active participants in the

In addition to inbreeding and demographic stochasticity, it has long been known that invasive species can cause drastic and often irreparable changes to native ecosystems, including the decline of indigenous species of both fauna and flora. In fact, invasive species have directly contributed to the decline of an estimated 42 percent of threatened and endangered species in the United States (Dilthey, 2017). Some of these invasive species are widely known, such as Dreissena polymorpha, the Zebra mussel, which has endangered at least 30 species of mussel, including Higgins Eye Pearlymussel (Magher, n.d.). Others are not so commonly known, like Penaeus monodon, the Black Tiger shrimp, which was first found in the Gulf of Mexico as recently as 2006 (Buchele, 2006).

when they were transferred over to the Great Lakes from the Caspian Sea in Europe, hiding in the ballast water in the bottom of a cargo ship. After reaching American territory in the 1980’s, zebra mussels multiplied and spread quickly, because of their ability to grasp and secure onto traveling boats and ships. As scientists became more aware of the zebra mussels presence, they started to realize the impact that the mussels were creating on the environment. Zebra mussels not only hurt the earth and native mussels around them, but they also trouble endangered species of fish or life that lives near water. Crayfish are another example of victims affected by zebra mussels. Even though the mussels can kill and wipe out creatures in water, they supply food for animals or birds on land. Research suggests that ducks migrate towards areas where zebra mussels abide to later devour them. In addition, because the mussels filtrate the water where they occupy and sunlight is able to reach new depths, plants are able to grow in larger areas making more habitats for young fish and

With the increasing amount of disturbed habitats, invasive species could soon become the leading cause of ecological degradation (Soulé & Orians, 2001).  Invasive species can alter habitats in a number of ways.  Changes in the physical structure of the land are the most visually obvious.  Examples include narrowing stream channels, reducing sand supply to dunes, and stabilizing surfaces such as mudflats, and each invasive species goes about these changes in their own way.  For instance, the burrowing activities of Australian isopods cause the banks of tidal channels to collapse, leading to the widening of channels and the loss of vegetated salt marsh (Cox, 1999).  On the other hand, Japanese mussels that have invaded the San Diego area are stabilizing mudflats.  Although reaching Southern California in the 1960s,

Zebra mussels may cause many effects on nature as well as to our wallets. Early research shows that zebra mussels can rapidly accumulate organic pollutants within their tissues to levels more than three hundred thousand times greater than concentrations in the environment. They also deposit these pollutants in their "pseudo-feces". Pseudo-feces or

Both the passage and the lecture discuss the zebra mussels. While the passage argues that there are many reasons to believe that zebra mussels reached to North of America and cannot control their pollution, the lecturer strongly disagrees with this claim.

Since zebra mussels must attach to a stable structure, this can cause serious issues for power plants, water supply facilities, and other industrial buildings which utilize water pipes. When the mussels clump together, they can constrict the flow of pipes, thus causing reduced performance in air conditioning, fire equipment, etc. Not only do they harm structures, but they are also responsible for a depleted population of smaller fish. Because zebra mussels are filter feeders, they can filter vast amounts of water in a relatively short amount of time. This in turn will greatly reduce the number of phytoplankton, depriving smaller fish of their means of nutrition. Eventually, this will cause a chain reaction that can affect an entire food chain.

They can change the soil fertility of an ecosystem, promote soil erosion by increasing water runoff down slopes, or prevent the establishment of more desirable species by accumulating leaf litter that acts as a suppressive mulch. Established invasives reduce livestock forage quality and quantity, jeopardize animal and human health, increase the threat of fire or flooding, interfere with recreational activities, or lower land value. Aquatic weeds impact the movement and navigation of private and commercial vessels, block irrigation systems, and impede livestock access to