Zebra Mussel and Spotted Knapweed
In and soon to come to the Okanagan... Be on the look out
Invaise Speicies
An Invasive species is any species that is not native to that area. They usually come from another country.All Invasive species can be plants, animals, invertebrates, and fishes. All invasive species do some damage to an ecosystem wither its from destroying it or destroying a food chain. Most damage is to other species and this can have a giant affect to the ecosystem. The invasive species enters the ecosystem and may destroy the prey of a natural predator and the energy slowly depletes.
Here are the two invaise species I did
The Spotted Knapweed (aka: centaurea maculosa)
The Spotted Knapweedp-indentifying charicteristics
- 20-120 cm Tall
- Is pink, white or purple flowers
- Blooms during July to October
- The flowers look like small thistles growing at the end of clusters
- can spread 140,000 seeds per meter
How did it get here?
The Spotted Knapweed is native to Europe and was most likely came here though contaminated seeds and hay. Since then it has been spread though humans. It can be spread by cars,buses,trucks,and clothing. Now it is seen all throughout B.C.
How can we prevent this?
There are many ways to prevent this wither its from herbicides or using other chemicals. The best way to prevent the Spotted Knapweed is to maintain your gardens and to treat any new threats of the weed. Another way to prevent is to patrol your lawn, garden, and any bare soil around your house.
If the spotted knapweed continued to live in the Okanagan
If the Spotted knapweed continued to live in the the Okanagan it would destroy ecosystems and would slowly destroy our economy. It would cost millions in repairs and would cost us our Okanagan.
Mugshot 1
A close up on the flower.
Mugshot 2
A crowd of the spotted knapweed.
Mugshot 3
Another close up. You can see what it looks like before its bloom. Look at the top left corner.
Spotted Knapweed ~ Invasive Species
The Zebra mussel (aka: Dreissena Polymorpha)
Zerbra mussel-identifying characteristics
- The bigger the mussel the older it is
- On its body it has strips like a zebra. The colors can be burgandy,black,white,brown,dark brown,light brown, and gray.
- It is a clinging mussel, so it can attach onto anything submerged into water.
- Has a "D" shaped body
- Grows up to 18.288m
- Is a fresh water mussel
How did it get here?
The Zebra Mussel is not in the Okanagan yet. But has a very high chance in coming here. If it had already infested the Okanagan lake it would cost the municipal government millions in dollars to stop the Zebra Mussel. It has already infested the great lakes and all through United States. They can be spread by boats (basically be anything that has been submerged in the infested water).
How can we prevent this?
There are ways to prevent mussels coming to B.C. There are campaigns already preventing the spread of Zebra mussel called Don't Move A Mussel. On their website they have a way to reduce the risk of mussels coming, called Take Action-Clean-Drain-Dry. This is for boats or any thing that has been in the water with the mussels. The B.C. government has increased the check of boats to make sure there are no mussels on it or if it has been cleaned properly.
If the Zebra mussel was to come to the okanagan
It is estimated that if the Zebra mussel came to the Okanagan that is would cost 40 million dollars a year to get rid of the Zebra mussel. That 40 million can not be completely be the Okanagan government, that means a raise of taxes. Slowly more and more the economy falls for Okanagan. The Zebra mussel would also take over the lake and our beaches, would smell of decaying mussels. Then less and less tourists come. The food chain breaks and the fish in our lake are at risk. The Zebra mussel filter the water to get their energy and this can create our water quality to deplete. This would all happen because of the zebra mussel.
Mugshot 1
A cluster of zebra mussels. Clinging on to a rock or on to each other.
Mugshot 2
A close up on the zebra mussel. They can vary on color.
mugshot 3
The bottom of one of the great lakes! this could happen to our lake too.
owen sound zebra mussels
The End
"Yay! I did it!!"