PROBLEM OF NONINDIGENOUS AQUATIC SPECIES.   Term Paper ID:30052 Click to get this paper

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Paper Abstract: Discusses problems incurring from acquatic species brought to the U.S. from Europe in ballast water of ships. Describes each species. Disruption of these nonindigenous species on the normal food chain, causing reduction in number of indigenous game fish. Negative economic impact on U.S. Fisning Industry. Possible measures that can be taken to prevent further invasion by nonindigenous acquatic species. Paper Introduction: Abstract The zebra mussel, Eurasian watermilfoil and round and tubenose goby are all nonindigenous species thought to have been brought to the United States from Europe in the ballast water of ocean-going vessels. These vessels pick up ballast water in their homeport when they are carrying a light load and discharge it here in U.S. waters when picking up heavier loads. This water often contains small fish, shellfish and plants native to the port where the ballast water was picked up, e.g. the Caspian Sea. Since these nonindigenous species have no natural predators here, they flourish and often outstrip native plants and waterlife by competing for food and space. This can severely disrupt the normal food chain, and cause the disappearance, or severe reduction in numbers of game fish, Text of the Paper: The entire text of the paper is shown below. However, the text is somewhat scrambled. We want to give you as much information as we possibly can about our papers and essays, but we cannot give them away for free. In the text below you will find that while disordered, many of the phrases are essentially intact. From this text you will be able to get a solid sense of the writing style, the concepts addressed, and the sources used in the research paper. This can severely disrupt the normal food chain, and causethe disappearance, or severe reduction in numbers of game fish, having aneconomic impact on the fishing industry. Both lake outlets havedeveloped resident populations of round gobies, according to federalmonitoring data. Walker, R. waters, then must takestringent measures to halt their spread. Clair (Stevenson, 1991). Results of the study showed twenty-five families of macroinvertebratesfound on the rocks, of which 64 percent were Hydridae (Hydra spp.) and 14percent were Trichoptera (caddisflies) and Gastropods (snails). They intend to install small electrodes into the cement wall of anarrow channel along a stretch several yards long and emit a current offour volts, which should prove irritating to the fish and deter downstreammovement. On the other hand, zebra mussels have been found to absorb highconcentrations of toxins, including cadmium and selenium (The redeemingqualities, 1994). Monitor, 7. References Eurasian watermilfoil in the Great Lakes Region. They disrupt the natural foodchain, causing losses to commercial fishermen. McCombie, B. These quarter-inch creatures are an important food energy sourcefor many kinds of fish, including bloater, alefish and sculpin, which, inturn, are eaten by trout and salmon. This paper will look first at the effects of the zebra mussel, thenthe weed Eurasian watermilfoil, and finally the fish round and tubenosegoby, all of European origin. A single fragment of stem and leaves cantake root and form a new colony. In LakeOntario, the presence of the goby is feared to have an impact on the $1 million a year commercial fishing industry (Walker, 1999). In theexperiment, rocks covered with either live or dead zebra mussels wereplaced in the creek, with the mussels attached to the rocks with epoxy toprevent them being dislodged by the current. The costof having to clean out, repair or replace pipes damaged by the zebramussels puts a strain on industry; the displacement of game fish orreduction in their size and numbers has repercussions on the fishingindustry; the need to clear clogged waterways of invasive nonindigenousweeds adds to costs for the agencies responsible for water recreationmanagement. For the bestresults, the weevil needs to be matched as closely as possible to theEurasian watermilfoil plants most genetically similar to those from whichthe insect was collected. Clair River between Lake Huronand St. Thesecrustacea, are half made up of fat, and are an important link in the foodchain, being consumed by many fish at some stage in their life, and as lateas the 198 s they swarmed as dense as 1 , per square yard of lakebottom. Other similarmeasures such as annoying sounds and irritating curtains of bubbles mayalso be tried.Conclusions Nonindigenous aquatic species are often brought to the United Statesin the ballast water of foreign ships, which is discharged once they loadcargo here. Eurasian watermilfoil was first documented in 1942 ina pond in Washington, D. Great Lakes community confronts foreignfish: Goby makes its way to Canada, propels new tactics against non-nativespecies. It arrived in Minnesota in 1987 and has spread rapidly, nowoccurring in 75 lakes and 4 streams that radiate from the Twin Cities area.Round and Tubenose Goby The round and tubenose goby are species of fish not native to NorthAmerica, however, like the zebra mussel, brought here in the ballast waterof ocean going vessels. But do notdominate the habitat and food resources.Eurasian watermilfoil The Eurasian watermilfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum L.) is a submersed,rooted, perennial herb consisting of long underwater stems that branch andproduce many whorled, finely divided leaves when nearing the surface(Nonindigenous aquatic species, 2 1). It grows in lakes, ponds, shallow reservoirs and low energy areasof rivers and streams, brackish water of bays and protected tidal creeks.It becomes troublesome in bodies of water, which have experienceddisturbances such as nutrient loading, intense plant management or abundantmotorboat use. This confirmed theirpresence in Lake Superior. The redeeming qualities of zebra mussels. Christiana Creek drains Lake Eagle and Lake Christian, two connectedlakes which were both colonized by zebra mussels in 1991. Thetubenose goby has also been found in the St. These non-native species often have no natural predators hereand so can flourish and often outstrip native species, either by devouringtheir natural food, devouring their eggs and young, competing for nutrientsand space, or simply growing at such a rate that native species cannotcompete. Am. Foiling watermilfoil. Field & Stream, 1 3, 14. Although the link is not yet proven, the disappearanceof the diporeia began in the 198 s, around the time of the appearance ofthe zebra mussels. The problemis not an easy one, but all possible controls must be taken to excludenonindigenous aquatic species from entering the United States. The Chicago andCalumet River systems were engineered roughly a century ago to route waterfrom Lake Michigan towards the Mississippi River. Overall,their results suggest that zebra mussels have the potential to affect, andeven increase, bethnic macroinvertebrate communities in invaded ecosystems,especially if the mussels increase substrate heterogeneity. Ithas difficulty establishing itself in lakes with healthy populations ofnative plants, and in some lakes can coexist with native plants withoutdisturbing the ecology. If game fish are able to catch goby, this means thesetoxins are spreading up the food chain to humans who consume the game fish. Whitefish are also suffering the lossof the diporeia. (1994). C. Theabundance of most macroinvertebrates was greatest where the density ofzebra mussels was the highest, with the exception of Heptagendae,Hydrachnia and rare taxa. M., & Lamberti, G. Leaves aredivided into threadlike leaflets, usually with no more than 14 pairs ofleaflets per leaf. Thedense vegetation degrades water quality and depletes dissolved oxygenlevels. The gobies are very difficult for predators to catch (Raloff, 1999).Although only about five inches in length, they jerk, scoot, stop, thenshoot out unexpectedly in another direction to evade predators, and evensometimes burrow under the gravel out of sight. For a given length, fishermen report, they don't weigh asmuch as they should. and that the changes inthree-dimensional structure could have affected the macroinvertebrates inseveral ways: the crevices among zebra mussels would provide darker habitatfor invertebrates that are negatively phototaxic; crevices could be used bysmall macroinvertebrates such as Chironomidae or Hydroptilidae as refugefrom predators; and the greater microhabitat complexity could explain theincreased family richness found on rocks with a high density of mussels,particularly those of rare taxa such as Simuliidae and Elmidae. Researchers are working on ways to set up electrical barriers furtherdown the path to prevent the gobies reaching the Mississippi River (Raloff,1999). Since the spreading of zebra mussels from lakes to streams and riverscould disperse them throughout North America, Horvath, Martin and Lamberti(1999) carried out studies on the effect of zebra mussels onmacroinvertebrate abundance and diversity on hard substrate in a lake-outlet stream by manipulating zebra mussels on artificial substrate. The researchers offer several explanations for their results beyondthe mere effect of increased surface area. Each zebra mussel can filter a quart of water a day,which means they can clean tremendous amounts of water where they exist inlarge numbers. This water often contains small fish, shellfish and plants nativeto the port where the ballast water was picked up, e.g. They reasoned this because zebra musselstypically dominate the bethnic flora in lakes following their introduction,and in areas of dense zebra mussel colonies in lakes, increased densitiesof bethnic macroinvertebrates, especially deposit feeders, have been found. It permeates 54 counties and 319 waterbodies in Wisconsin, the most of any state. Here it forms densecanopies that overtop and shade the surrounding vegetation, reducing lightto areas below and causing the decline of native species living below. It hasbeen reported by biologists that the molluscs can attach to boats in theGreat Lakes and be transported to places as far away as California bytrailer. Agriculture Res., 47, 116-17. Abstract The zebra mussel, Eurasian watermilfoil and round and tubenose gobyare all nonindigenous species thought to have been brought to the UnitedStates from Europe in the ballast water of ocean-going vessels. News,156, 68. Rapidly growing nonindigenousweeds that outpace native ones may provide fewer nutrients for water birdsas well as fish that feed on native plants. A. Although this has worked to help prevent salmon moving upstreamin some areas, if the electricity stuns the fish in this case, they willdrift downstream and the effort will be useless. Eurasian watermilfoil is aggressive inthe nutrient rich recreational lakes of southern Wisconsin where it hasbeen present since the 196 s. The report indicated that the musselhas spread to 19 states since its first appearance in the United States in1988 in Lake Clair, which lies between Lake Huron and Lake Erie. Having no natural predators here, they survive, andlittle can be done to halt their invasion. These fish appeardesigned to eat mussels. While occasionally benefits canbe derived from them, such as the cleaning of polluted waters by zebramussels, most of the effects are negative. However, it usually competes aggressively withnative species and reduces their diversity (Nonindigenous aquatic species,2 1). Gobies pose a threat because, while they do eat another invader, thezebra mussel, they are bottom dwellers and also eat eggs and fry of anyfish found in their habitat, including smallmouth bass, walleye and perch(Raloff, 1999). (2 1).http://nas.er.usgs.gov/dicots/my_spica.html Raloff, J. Clair River outside Detroit (Raloff, 1999). Also, the current mustnot harm other water life, or people. They had also been reported in Lake Michiganand Lake Erie. Another good side to zebra mussels is that their calcium-rich shells do not contain absorbed toxins, which are located in the softtissues of the mussels, and so could be used as fertilizer or chicken feed(The redeeming qualities, 1994). However, fishermen are nowreporting catching game fish with stomachs full of gobies, so they are notinvincible. In the case of the goby, they may even absorb toxins from thezebra mussels they eat and pass them up the food chain, eventually tohumans. It is decreasing in Put-in-Bay Harbor, LakeErie, Ohio, while native species return and the waters are cleared bynonindigenous mussels (the zebra mussel), and is also decreasing inMcCullom Lake, Illinois, in conjunction with the appearance of theherbivorous Euhrychiopsis weevils. It will look at their entry into the UnitedStates, their spread, attempts to halt their invasion, and the impact theyhave had environmentally and economically. The rest they spit out aspseudofeces. Leaflets are uniformly tapered in the invasive speciesso that the leaf shape is like an equilateral triangle with a curved base.The native species has leaflets that are as long as the leaf and curve overin a feathery shape to the tip of the leaf. The main reason for the success of the Eurasian watermilfoil is itsability to reproduce through stem fragmentation and underground runners(Eurasian watermilfoil, 2 1). Watercurrents disseminated vegetative propagules through drainage areas andmotorboat traffic contributes to natural seasonal fragmentation anddistribution of fragments throughout lakes. They also remove excess algae and suspended particlesfrom water and, they can be used as effective monitors of watercontamination because they can survive only in relatively clean water(Weeding, 1994). Once these nonindigenous aquaticspecies take hold, there is little that can be done to eradicate them, soauthorities need to take measures to prevent their entry into Americanwaters, and if they do manage to invade U. The round goby (Neogobius melanostomus) was firstfound in 199 in the St. It is not a native species to theUnited States, and can be differentiated from the native M. S. At the University of California,Davis, scientists are experimenting with biological control using thewatermilfoil weevil, Euhrychiopsis lecontei (Wood, 1999). Accidentally introduced to North America from Europe and spreadwestward into inland lakes primarily by boats and water birds, Eurasianwatermilfoil reached the midwestern states by the 195 s and 196 s (Eurasianwatermilfoil, 2 1). In shallow areas, the thick underwater tangle of stems interfereswith water recreation such as swimming, boating and fishing (Eurasianwatermilfoil, 2 1). Transportation on boats andtrailers introduces the species to new bodies of water. (1999). Utilities and otherindustries use chlorine to kill larvae in drains and pipes, but zebramussels flourish in all the Great Lakes and nearby waters. Wood, M. However, the goby pose no serious threat to the zebra musselpopulation as they cannot eat the larger mussels, and these continue tospawn. the Caspian Sea.Since these nonindigenous species have no natural predators here, theyflourish and often outstrip native plants and waterlife by competing forfood and space. Once they reach the Mississippi River, the concern isthat they will have unimpeded access to waterways throughout most of thecentral United States. The fish then began appearing inadjoining Lake Huron and Lake Erie, where it was found to be nesting, andthe fish was reported to be present in Lake Ontario by Canadian officials.This sighting at the base of the St. Zebra mussels were first detected in North America little morethan a decade ago, but since that times they have earned a mixedreputation. (1999). While Canadianofficials hope this will help control the spread of the goby to theirinland lakes, in the United States it may be too late. The response in streams, which have flowingwater, may be different to that in lakes because the fecal and pseudofecalmatter may be carried away. Bioscience, 47, 8 8. Thesevessels pick up ballast water in their homeport when they are carrying alight load and discharge it here in U.S. Ithas less value as a food source for waterfowl than the native plants itdisplaces, and although fish initially experience a favorable edge effectwhere it grows, its overabundant growth negates any short-term benefits,since its foliage supports a lower abundance and diversity of invertebratesthat serve as food for the fish. Musseling in on American lakes. While the dense growth providesprotection for young fish, larger predator fish lose foraging space. Scientists must be constantly working todevise ways of preventing the spread of these invader species with newtechnologies - biological control of the Eurasian watermilfoil with weevils- or recruitment of older ones - using electricity to deter entry of thegoby. In 1997, it was reported that zebra mussels had invaded another 13lakes in the Great Lakes region in the past year and were spreading intoLake Champlain (Musseling in, 1997). The Eurasian watermilfoil usually grows in Europe, Asia and northernAfrica. This can then become a United States problembecause nonindigenous species entering Canadian waterways further north maymake their way south to the Great Lakes and hence to the U. Swanson, S. waters when picking up heavierloads. (1997). Long J. In several areas they have already devoured all themottled sculpin, a fish the same size and shape which shares its habitat.The goby will aggressively defend its home, which is generally in rockyshoals or gravel, and the males, which build and defend the nest, appearfearless and will drive off enemies twice their size. One problem with this is that the zebra mussel is known topick up and store toxic water pollutants, which, in turn, end up in thegoby that eat them. The mussels affect macroinvertebrate density and biomass by alteringthe structure of the bethnic substrata, increasing the habitat space byincreasing the surface area, and the shells also provide a complexarchitecture that many macroinvertebrates can use to hide from predators.The macroinvertebrates also increase because they respond positively to theenhanced bethnic organic matter deposited by the zebra mussels in the formof feces and pseudofeces. The conclusions will give somesuggestions of what needs to be done to prevent further invasion of theUnited States by nonindigenous aquatic species.Zebra Mussel Zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha), gray-and-white striped freshwater molluscs, were first introduced into American lakes in the mid-198 sfrom the ballast picked up in the Caspian Sea and discharged from Europeanships. In 1999, they had already moved 3 miles into theMississippi River basin, which means they were already a tenth of the wayto the Mississippi River. sibiricum bythe overall shape of the leaf and by the number of leaflets. Scientists believe that perhaps something about thepseudofeces is toxic to diporeia, because they have disappeared even inareas where the microscopic plants they eat are still available, but zebramussels are present. Zebra mussels upset the local food chain because they are efficientfilter feeders, and they remove phytoplankton and detritus that nativeorganisms need to survive (Weeding, 1994). Theirprediction was that the presence of zebra mussels would increase themacroinvertebrate density and family richness because of changes in thesubstrate heterogeneity. (2 1, January). They suggest that the increasein surface heterogeneity alters, texture, flow etc. The mounting population of zebra mussels in the Great Lakes isresponsible for the goby's expansion. New lake battle: goby vs mussel.Chicago Tribune, 1D1. (1999). Canadian authoritiesfind this a harder task since the weather conditions in the more northerlylatitudes may prevent this. Sci. If these measures are not taken,these invading species may have a serious economic impact on all water-related ventures.Introduction Nonindigenous aquatic species continue to invade waters of the greatLakes Region where they gain entry from the discharged ballast water fromEuropean vessels, and from there they have the potential to spreadthroughout the United States via lakes and rivers, displacing nativespecies as they go. The threat of an invasion by thisEuropean fish was immediately recognized. A single goby can eat five or more mussels eachhour. It is estimatedthat parts of lake Erie contain from 2 , to 9 , zebra mussels persquare meter. In 1998, twoyoungsters reported catching over 7 gobies in Superior Harbor, which theytook to the Duluth Sea Grant's office, where the varying size of the fishindicated they were breeding (McCombie, 1999). The device worked 1 percent infield tests in a Michigan river heavily invaded by goby. On the one hand, they have caused an economic problem becausethey tend to clog and damage water-intake and drainage pipes in the GreatLakes Region, and have been implicated in the disappearance of a tinyshrimp-like creature, diporeia, in Lake Michigan (Long, 2 1). It occurs atypically in baysof Lake Michigan, and spreads north through lakes in Michigan's lowerpeninsula. Studies with other waterweeds have shown thatweevils eat much more of the plant when it has a higher nitrogen content.This means that the chemical makeup of Eurasian watermilfoil from differentlocations may need to be determined so that the most effective weevil tofeed on it is used. Eurasian watermilfoil is tolerant of low temperatures and quicklygrows to the surface, beginning in the spring. Joseph drainage (Nonindigenous aquatic species, 2 1).It is also present in reservoirs across central Indiana, even in silt-ladenzones of Monroe Reservoir. These can easily cause great economic losses, as once anonindigenous species becomes established it almost impossible to eradicateit. (1991, November). Once a new species is established, it is almost impossible toeliminate it, and government efforts are aimed at limiting its spread(Raloff, 1999). (Nonindigenous aquatic species, 2 1). (1994). G., Martin, K. Goby, go home. (1999). They breedprodigiously (McCombie, 1999). Nonindigenous aquatic species. Weeding the Great Lakes. Government agencies must be vigilant in their monitoring of America'swaters, particularly at ports of entry of overseas vessels to try andprevent such economic threats. Christian Sci. Zebra mussels take in water to eat, filtering out allthe tiny particles and eating what is suitable. In the Great Lakes Region, Eurasian watermilfoil has been reported inover 16 glacially-formed natural lakes in Indiana, 9 of which are locatedin the northern St. S. Since their introduction, they have spread rapidlyand have spread through all the Great Lakes and eight North American riversystems. They can wreak havoc, as in the case of the zebra mussel, byclogging pipes, or in the case of the Eurasian watermilfoil, by cloggingwaterways. Omni, 16, 28. With the decrease in prey fish, it is feared that theloss of trout and salmon, which are big money fish, may have seriouseconomic effects. The disruption of native species can cause economic fallout. Invading gobies conquer Great Lakes. Midland Naturalist, 142, 34 -347. They are a native of Russia, and settle on hard surfaces, pluggingup the intake pipes of power plants and fouling bridges, ship bottoms anddams (Weeding, 1994). For instance, it is thoughtthat somehow the zebra muscle is causing the disappearance of a smallshrimp-like creature, the diporeia, which is at the bottom of the foodchain, reducing food available for its predators, and ultimately for troutand salmon, which are highly commercial fish (Long, 2 1). There was no difference whether the rocks werecovered with live or dead zebra mussels. While these mussels have no otherpredators, the goby have sharp biting teeth in front and shell-crushingmolars at the back of their throats (Raloff, 1999). They clog waterways and lakes,necessitating their costly removal. Fishermen are urged to help curb its spread by not usingit as bait and thus transferring it to waters it does not yet inhabit, andnot returning them to waters where they were caught. Itspread as it was planted in lakes and streams across the country. (2 1).http://www.great-lakes.net/envt/flora-fauna/invasive/milfoil.html Hovarth, T. Since Eurasian watermilfoil is so difficult to eradicate due to itmethods of propagation, other methods are being sought to eliminate it andallow native water plants to flourish. The mechanical clearing of weed beds fordocks, landings and beaches creates thousands of new stem fragments, andremoving native vegetation creates a perfect habitat for its influx. Environment, 36, 23. Lawrence Seaway confirms that theround goby now populates all five of the Great Lakes. Effect ofzebra mussels, Dreissena polymorpha, on macroinvertebrates in a lake-outletstream. These studies were carried out in the Christiana Creek, a lake-outletstream in southwestern Michigan, which was colonized by zebra mussels in1993. The United States now requires ships entering the Great Lakes toexchange ballast waters while still on the high seas. (1999, August). Lake Michigan's vanishing crustacean:Diporeia's survival problems could jeopardize waterway's salmon, trout.Washington Post, A1 . 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