Zebra Mussels
Invasive Species of the United States
Where did they come from? How did they get here?
Where did they come from?
- Originated in Caspian Sea.
- In U.S. in late 1980's
- In 20 U.S. states (by Ontario and Quebec)
How did they get here?
- Ships carrying dirt from Caspian containing them
How does it impact the Ecosystem?
Animals it eats:
Plankton
Habitats:
Freshwater lakes or seas
Animals it out competes:
Fish
What good does it do? What bad?
Good
Filters up to a liter of water a dayMakes lakes cleaner
Bad
Clings on to rocks
Hurts when you step on them
Out competes fish and native mussels for food
Clogging any pipes with water coming through them from the lake
How much has been spent? How much will be spent?
Has been
60 million dollars per year from power ind.
5,000 per hour
Will be
U.S. estimates on spending 3.1 billion in next 10 years!
What are people doing to stop the spread?
Washing their boats
Zebra Mussels get clogged in motors and pipes and cost everyday people millions!
How fast are they spreading?
In her five-year lifetime, a single zebra mussel will produce about five million eggs, 100,000 of which reach adulthood.
They have spread to 20 states since the 1980's!
They stay on boats when people move boats and that is how they spread
"Silent Invaders" Zebra Mussels 2013