ALERT! This Water Contains ZEBRA MUSSELS

Transcription

1 Spring 2012 ALERT! This Water Contains ZEBRA MUSSELS by Skyler Delmott and Ben Smith A History of Species Introductions When humans move to new countries, they often take with them the plants and animals of their native lands, sometimes purposely to make their new home more like the place they left behind and sometimes accidentally when uninvited passengers hitch a ride. From pigs and rats to corn and kudzu, humans have extended the range of many organisms from relatively restricted areas to near worldwide distribution. These introduced species are often called exotic species, which means they are not part of the native flora or fauna. Exotic species can be classified as invasive species if they meet certain requirements. An invasive species is any species that is not native to an area and whose introduction is likely to cause environmental or economic harm or harm human health. Invasive species usually spread from the area where they were originally introduced, causing problems over a wide area because these successful invaders are usually generalists capable of adapting to a wide range of habitats. Once in a new area, they are no longer controlled by the predators found in their natural distribution, nor are they constrained by limiting factors (e.g., resources like food and habitat availability) that normally provide checks and balances to population growth. The Nature Conservancy estimates that the annual worldwide damage caused by invasive species is near 1.4 trillion dollars (The Nature Conservancy 2012). Invasive species can be plants, animals or other organisms, including microbes. One invasive species, the European starling, was confined to Eurasia and North Africa until the late 1890s when Shakespeare enthusiasts released 100 individuals in New York s Central Park; now, sky-darkening flocks composed of millions of individuals are a common sight from northern Canada into Mexico (Birds of North America Online 2012). More recently, aquatic invasive species have come to the forefront of the public s perception of invasive species. If an invasive species occurs in the water, it is classified as an Aquatic Nuisance Species, or ANS. In Kansas, we currently have nine ANS species, including bighead carp and silver carp (fishes), Eurasian watermilfoil and curly leaf pondweed (plants), and the Asian clam and zebra mussel (mollusks). Zebra Mussels The zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha), named for its alternating light and dark stripes, is an invasive freshwater mollusk that has been unintentionally introduced to numerous habitats worldwide. The zebra mussel grows to a length of 4 cm 1200 Commercial St., Campus Box 4040, Emporia, KS jhoy@emporia or sbrinkma@emporia.edu Tales Out of School, a newsletter for elementary and middle school teachers, is published twice a year and is available free of charge to interested persons. A variety of subjects related to teaching Kansas history and the Great Plains appear in Tales. Each issue emphasizes a single topic and includes a resource of websites, books, and teaching tools to assist in the classroom. Readers are encouraged to submit items to the newsletter that they believe will be useful to fellow teachers. Past issues of Tales are available on the website at If you would like to have your name added to the mailing list or would like to send suggestions please us at cgps@emporia.edu.

2 ALERT! cont. (1.5 in.) and can live for five years (Mackie 1991). Originally, the zebra mussel occupied a limited range near the Black and Caspian seas of Eastern Europe and Western Asia, but the its current range has expanded to nearly all of Europe and much of North America (United States Geological Survey 2012). This expansion is due to both the accidental movement of zebra mussels by humans and the zebra mussel s ability to reproduce rapidly and in great numbers. Zebra mussel reproduction is closely tied to the physical conditions around them. As local water temperatures warm to C (50-54 F), zebra mussels begin to reproduce; a single adult female zebra mussel adult can produce 100,000 to 1,000,000 eggs per year (Borcherding 1991) which, when combined with sperm from a male, form larvae known as veligers. The veligers are free-floating (planktonic), and are the natural means of dispersal for the species. Eight to 35 days after fertilization, the veliger is capable of settling on a suitable surface; once this habitat is reached, the zebra mussel attaches to the surface via byssal threads (Mackie 1991). These threads of protein firmly attach the juvenile zebra mussel to the surface, where it begins to filter-feed (primarily on phytoplankton), grow, and eventually reproduce. In addition to being classified as an invasive species because of its detrimental impacts to industries that use raw water, including power plants, water treatment facilities, farming (irrigation), and aquaculture, the zebra mussel is also categorized as a biofouling species. As zebra mussels accumulate on industrial water intake structures, pipes and pumps of these facilities become fouled with zebra mussel shells, decreasing intake efficiency and even destroying equipment (Ludyanskiy et al. 1993). Many forms of recreation, including fishing, boating, swimming, and camping, are also negatively affected; zebra mussel shells cut the feet of swimmers and tires of boat trailers, and decomposing zebra mussels wash onto shore and produce an offensive smell that deters visitors (Ludyanskiy et al. 1993). Economic losses due to zebra mussels in the United States alone are estimated to be more than $1 billion annually, and are rising with each newly-infested body of water. Zebra mussels also compete for food with native species, including native freshwater mussels and fishes, by removing plankton suspended in the water column, increasing water clarity. Many think that increased water clarity is good because it makes it easier to see into the water and that it can increase fisheries due to increased ability of sight predators to capture prey, resulting in larger sport fish. However, this increase in water clarity leads to reduced nutrients and food in the water column for baby fish, or fry, which need those nutrients and food to grow. Once the water is cleared, the young fish die of malnourishment, and after a short time entire fisheries can collapse (Ludyanskiy et al. 1993). This increased water clarity can also cause sunburn on fish and fish eggs due to increased light penetration, which can lead to death (Häkkinen et al. 2002). Plants and algae can benefit from increased light penetration, but this can alter habitat and cause problems for native aquatic species and humans. Increased rooted plants, or macrophytes, can negatively impact boating and other forms of recreation. Increased water clarity may result in blue-green algae blooms that can be toxic to humans and other animals (Bierman et al. 2005). Harmful algae blooms can cover large areas of water and make small lakes completely unusable for water supply or recreation. This algae eventually dies and sinks to the bottom of lakes, where is it decomposed by microorganisms. The decomposition of algae by microorganisms depletes oxygen in the water, which can result in massive fish die-offs in summer when oxygen levels are already low.

3 ALERT! cont. Zebra Mussels in North America Zebra mussels were first detected in North America in 1988 in Lake St. Clair, in the Great Lakes system. These mussels are suspected of having been transported there by trans-atlantic ships that took on ballast water in zebra mussel-infested waters in Europe and then emptied that water into ports in Lake St. Clair (Griffiths et al. 1991). Zebra mussels began to spread quickly from the Great Lakes throughout the U.S. and Canada, primarily moved overland by trailered recreational boat traffic that carried adults as well as larvae. Zebra mussels can attach to the hull and propellers of boats and can get sucked into water intakes of boat motors, or stuck on anchors and trailers. Veligers can be transported between water bodies in standing water on a boat or trailer, such as live wells, transom wells, and even wet carpet on the boat or trailer. Within a few years of their introduction to the Great Lakes, zebra mussels spread throughout the Mississippi River Valley, reaching as far south as Louisiana (Allen et al. 1999). Zebra Mussels in Kansas Zebra mussels were first documented in Kansas in 2003 in El Dorado Reservoir, and have since been detected in many other lakes and reservoirs in the state (Kansas Department of Wildlife Parks and Tourism 2012). Zebra mussels have been transported rapidly across Kansas despite posted warnings for lake users and large scale public education programs by Kansas Department of Wildlife Parks and Tourism (KDWPT). KDWPT has an Aquatic Nuisance Species program designed to protect Kansas natural resources and its residents by educating boaters, water users, and the general public about the spread of zebra mussels and other invasive species. KDWPT works to prevent accidental introduction and spread of invasive species through posted warnings, online training, and public presentations. Prevention is the principal focus of this program, however KDWPT has the legal ability to try to control or eradicate zebra mussels when it is economically and environmentally possible. Unfortunately, once zebra mussels are introduced into a system it is almost impossible to eliminate them completely, and any efforts to attempt to do so come at great costs, both economically and environmentally (Mann et al. 2010). Attempts to eradicate zebra mussels in the past have resulted in the death of every living organism present in the water body (Zebra Mussel Eradication Project 2009). What Can You Do? Kansas is involved in the Clean, Drain, Dry program (Kansas Department of Wildlife Parks and Tourism 2012) and the national 100 th Meridian Initiative (100th Meridian Initiative 2012) -- efforts to inform the public of the harm caused by transporting and spreading zebra mussels. The Clean, Drain, Dry program is designed to keep zebra mussels from spreading within Kansas. The program informs boaters that when they use zebra mussel-populated waters their boat becomes infested and must be cleaned to remove adult, juvenile, and larval zebra mussels. The boats must be drained because standing water on the boat will hold microscopic veligers which can be transported to uninfested water bodies. Boats must also be adequately dried (approximately 5 days) to kill any remaining zebra mussels and veligers. The 100thMeridian Initiative was created to prevent the zebra mussel from infesting the western half of the United States. This is significant to Kansans because the 100th meridian passes directly through the state. This makes Kansas a vital component to the 100th Meridian Initiative s efforts to help control and prevent the spread of zebra mussels. Active participation by the public is at the core of both of these programs, and is the driving force in the control of aquatic nuisance species throughout Kansas. With numerous reservoirs and lakes in Kansas now infested with zebra mussels, efforts to increase our understanding and regulate the impacts of zebra mussels become paramount. To protect our diverse and unique aquatic biological communities and limit the tremendous economic cost levied against the citizens of Kansas by this prolific aquatic invader, everyone who uses water resources needs to be alert and prepared to take precautions to prevent the spread of this and other invasive species.

4 Author Bios Skyler Delmott: Skyler is a graduate student at Emporia State University pursuing a masters degree in biology. He is examining zebra mussel reproduction and gametogenesis in Marion Reservoir. His major advisor is Dr. David R. Edds. Ben Smith: Ben is a graduate student at Emporia State University pursuing a masters degree in biology. He is examining zebra mussel dispersal dynamics and their economic impacts in the Neosho River Basin. His major advisor is Dr. David R. Edds. Literature Cited 100th Meridian initiative org/. Allen, Y. C., B. A. Thompson, and C. W. Ramcharan Growth and mortality rates of the zebra mussel, Dreissena polymorpha, in the lower Mississippi River. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 56: Bierman, V. J., J. Kaur, J. V. DePinto, T. J. Feist and D. W. Dilks Modeling the role of zebra mussels in the proliferation of blue-green algae in Saginaw Bay, Lake Huron. Journal of Great Lakes Research 31: Birds of North America Online edu/bna/species/048/articles/introduction. Borcherding, J The annual reproductive cycle of freshwater mussel Dreissena polymorpha Pallas in lakes. Oecologia 87: Griffiths, R. W., D. W. Schloesser, J. H. Leach, and W. P. Kovalak Distribution and dispersal of the zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha) in the Great Lakes region. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 48: Häkkinen J., E. Vehniäinen, O. Ylönen, J. Heikkilä, M. Soimasuo, J. Kaurola, A. Oikariand, and J. Karjalainen The effects of increasing UV-B radiation on pigmentation, growth and survival of coregonid embryos and larvae. Environmental Biology of Fishes. 64: Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism Ludyanskiy, M. L., D. McDonald, and D. Macneill Impact of the zebra mussel, a bivalve invader. Bioscience 43: Mackie, G. L Biology of the exotic zebra mussel, Dreissena polymorpha, in relation to native bivalves and its potential impact in Lake St. Clair. Hydrobiologia 219: Mann, R., H. Radtke, D.D. Huppert, J.R. Hamilton, S.S. Hanna, J. Duffield, and N.R. Netusil Economic risk associated with the potential establishment of Zebra and Quagga mussels in the Columbia River Basin. Independent Economic Analysis Board, task number 159, Portland, Oregon. The Nature Conservancy United States Geological Survey taxgroup/mollusks/zebramussel/ Zebra Mussel Eradication Project uploads/2009/01/oafb-zm-final-summary-report.pdf. Online Resources Species/Aquatic-Nuisance-Species-List/Zebra-Mussels howwework/protecting-native-plants-and-animals-takingon-the-invaders.xml

5 Online Resources Zebra Mussel Mania A Teacher s Guide for Grades 5 and 6 mussel_mania_teachers_guide_grades_5_and_6.pdf This lesson plan provides scientifically based education about zebra mussels for fifth and sixth grade students while building critical thinking skills and scientific literacy. Teachers are provided with an interactive teaching tool and curriculum on zebra mussels and other nonindigenous species. Zebra Mussel Simulation artificial_ponds.pdf This lesson plan meets both National Benchmarks and content standards in science education. The aim of the curriculum is for students to know how to design an experiment, test how a pond ecosystem changes over time, and develop a testable hypothesis. Students then create the experimental set-up, collect data, and carry out the experiment. Books Zebra Mussels By Susan H. Gray Cherry Lake Publishing, 2008 ISBN: Ages 8 11 years Encyclopedia of Invasive Species [2 volumes]: From Africanized Honey Bees to Zebra Mussels By Susan L. Woodward and Joyce A. Quinn ABC-CLIO, 2011 ISBN: Zebra Mussels: Biology, Impacts, and Control / Edition 1 By Thomas F. Nalepa and Don Schloesser Taylor & Francis, 1992 ISBN: Practical Manual for Zebra Mussel Monitoring and Control: 1st Edition By Renata Claudi CRC Press, 1993 ISBN: Teen Guides to Environmental Science [5 volumes] (v. 1) By John F. Mongillo and Peter Mongillo Greenwood, 2004 ISBN: Ages 12 and up Aquatic Nuisance Curriculum Grades This 4th and 5th grade lesson plan gives students the opportunity to find major geographical and political features on the map. While it is designed for students in South Dakota, the lesson is easily adaptable to any state. Students will identify resources, complete a narrative, and practice oral presentation. Web of Life Game game.htm A native river habitat is a fluid yet fragile community. Introduced species have altered, permanently in some cases, the natural food chain. This Web of Life Game actively demonstrates to students the impact zebra mussels have in a native river environment. Watersheds: A Practical Handbook for Healthy Water By Gregor Gilpin Beck and Clive Dobson Firefly Books, 1999 ISBN: Ages 12 and up Science Warriors: The Battle Against Invasive Species (Scientists in the Field Series) By Sneed b. Collard III Houghton Mifflin Books for Children, 2008 ISBN: Ages 9 and up Eyewitness Pond & River (DK Eyewitness Books) By Steve Parker DK Publishing, 2011 ISBN: Ages 8 and up Alien Invaders: Species That Threaten Our World By Jane Drake and Ann Love Tundra Books, 2008 ISBN: Ages 9 and up