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The Issue
- Promising Strategies - Useful
Resources - News - Organizations
Invasive Species
Invasive species are organisms introduced into a habitat where they do not naturally occur. Global trade, intentional releases of fish for harvesting, and unknowing transfers by boat owners in propellers or bait buckets have boosted aquatic invasion rates far beyond their natural levels. The rate at which invasive plant and animal species are invading previously untouched habitats appears to be growing. In some areas, particularly islands, current invasion rates may be at one million times their natural levels (Bright, 2000).
Invasive aquatic plant and animal species are one of the greatest threats to global lakes today. Invasive species threaten lake biota through predation and competition, but also through less direct mechanisms such as spreading harmful parasites. Invasive species are currently the second greatest cause of freshwater extinctions. Invasive plant and animals can cause radical and widespread changes in lake fauna community structure and ecosystem functioning and cause economic harm to communities around lakes.
Trying to limit invasive species once they have a foothold in a lake is very difficult and expensive. For instance, although fisheries experts developed a biocide to kill Russian sea lamprey larvae in the 1970's, U.S.-Canadian Great Lakes states and provinces now still must spend more than $12 million each year to control the population.
Perhaps best known of all animal lake invaders is the zebra mussel, (Dreissena polymorpha), which has rapidly spread from the Caspian Sea region of Asia to much of Europe and North America. The black-and-white striped mollusk clogs industrial and water treatment facility pipes, and clings to both human-made objects and living animals. In the U.S. - Canadian Great Lakes, zebra mussels are starving endangered freshwater mussels by using up limited food resources.
The blanketing of Lake Victoria (bordered by Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania) by water hyacinth plants illustrates the serious threat of invasive plants to lakes. The hyacinths, in addition to crowding out native vegetation and animal species, made boat travel difficult or impossible in many areas of the lake. Water hyacinth also increases rates of debilitating human diseases such as schistosomiasis by increasing habitat for disease-carrying snails and mosquitoes.
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Promising Strategies
The time to control invasive aquatic species is before they become established in a lake.
Ongoing monitoring is critical, to identify new aquatic invasives and to identify quickly growing populations.
Many effective strategies exist to reduce aquatic invasives in your watershed, including the following:
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Make a map of the current ranges of invasives in your lake and/or watershed. |
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Prioritize your efforts using your map. The most pervasive invasives may not be the best ones to attack; it may be a better use of time and funds to attack any recent invaders that have not yet gained a significant foothold. |
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Identify the invasive plant or animal species that is closest to your lake or watershed that poses the greatest threat and educate stakeholders to be on the lookout. Develop a thorough monitoring or surveillance system to be an early warning system for the presence of this and other invasives, and to assess your control efforts. |
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Develop low-cost materials to help lake-users identify new plant or animal invaders as soon as possible, when eradication is still possible without huge expense. |
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Oppose all efforts to intentionally introduce non-native species in your area: there is ample evidence that intentional introductions usually backfire. |
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Adopt strategies to reduce phosphorus and nitrogen reaching your lake; fewer nutrients will limit the ability of aquatic invasive plants to thrive. |
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As invasive aquatic plants are removed, fill the gaps with native species to increase the chances the area will stay invasive-free. |
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Educate boat-owners, legislators, civil servants, children and other stakeholders about invasive species and how to prevent their transfer. |
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Useful Resources
Below are links to lake watershed invasive species prevention plans, other resources, and news stories related to invasive lake species.
2005 International Symposium on Cyanobacterial Harmful Algal Blooms
- Solar Bee has released a new book, the proceedings of the 2005 International Symposium on Cyanobacterial Harmful Algal Blooms. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, nine other government organizations, and experts from around the world participated in the development of the monograph released Springer Press, Inc, Hudnell, H. Kenneth (Ed.).
Evidence indicates that cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms are increasing in spatial and temporal extent. Blooms regularly occur in many drinking water and recreational water reservoirs. Cyanotoxins can pose a risk to human health and ecosystem sustainability. The monograph chapters are based on platform presentations, workgroup discussions, and poster presentations from the symposium held in Research Triangle Park, NC.
The monograph is organized around seven main topics:
• Occurrence of blooms and toxins
• Toxin types, kinetics & dynamics
• Health effects
• Ecological effects
• Causes, prevention & mitigation
• Analytical methods
• Risk assessment
Book. Solar Bee.
2005 Invasive Species Education Program
- The ultimate goal of ISEA's Invasive Species Education Project is to help prevent the introduction and spread of invasive species through education. Website. ISEA.
A gateway to U.S. federal & state invasive species activities & programs
- Website. National Biological Information Infrastructure. English.
A New Habitattitude on Aquatic Invasive Species
- Website. Sea Grant.
Alien Invaders: Environmental education for kids
- Website. Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. English.
Aquatic Invasions Research Directory
- Current information on research, technology, policy & management issues related to aquatic invasives. Database. Smithsonian Environmental Research Center. English.
Aquatic, Wetland & Invasive Plant Database
- Includes citations for over 50,000 articles, book & reports. May be difficult to use. Database. APIRS. English.
Biological Control of Eurasian Watermilfoil
- Factsheet. University of Minnesota, Dept. of Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Biology. English.
Biotic Invasions: Epidemiology, Global Consequences and Control
- Newsletter. ESA: The Ecological Society of America. English.
Code of best practices for ballast water management
- Report. Shipping Federation of Canada.
Compensatory mechanisms in Great Lakes sea lamprey populations: implications for alternative control strategies
- This resource can be found in Volume 29 (2003), pages 113-129. Journal article. Journal of Great Lakes Research.
Conserve Online
- Documents on conservation science & practice in an easily searchable database of best practices, published & unpublished reports, case studies, data and software. Database. Nature Conservancy. English, Spanish, Portuguese.
Database on Introductions of Aquatic Species
- The FAO Database on Introductions of Aquatic Species (DIAS) was initiated by R. Welcomme in the early 1980s. Initially it considered primarily only freshwater species and formed the basis for the 1988 FAO Fisheries Technical Paper No. 294. Today DIAS has been expanded to include additional taxa, such as molluscs and crustaceans, and marine species.
Database. FIGIS.
Defusing Diffuse Knapweed: Biological Control of an Explosive Weed
- June 2002, Issue No. 194. Agrichemical and Environmental News, WSU. English.
Eurasian Watermilfoil Management Program
- Website. Minnesota Division of Ecological Services. English.
FAO Fisheries Global Information System
- The FAO Fisheries Global Information System is a network of integrated fisheries information. Database.
Global Ballast Water Management Programme
- Website.
Global Invasive Species Database
- Database. IUCN.
Glossary of expressions in biological control
- Integrated Pest Management, University of Florida. English.
Invasive Species: Online Toolkit
- Toolkit. Global Invasive Species Programme. English.
Lake Weeders Digest
- Website. Lakes and Ponds Unlimited.
Lake Yellowstone success
- Project description. Federation of Fly Fishers.
Making fertilizer & bait out of invasive fish species: one program
- This Australian company removes over 100 tons of invasive European carp each year from Australian waterways and uses the fish to make fertilizer. Website. Four Seas.
Maryland DNR Factsheet on Snakeheads
- Factsheet. Maryland Department of Natural Resources.
National Invasive Aquatic Plant Outreach & Research Initiative
- In-depth information on 22 of the most worrisome invasive aquatic plants that are already inside, or could enter, the U.S. Lists any state laws, lists, rules or regulations in place in U.S. Many of same plants are threats in other countries as well. Website. Sea Grant & six American universities. English.
Paying for Protection from Invasive Species
- Author argues that fees should be charged to those involved in global trade and travel to pay for resources that respond to harmful invasions. Peter T. Jenkins. English.
Protect your Waters
- a site for recreational users who want to help stop aquatic nuisance species Website. ANS Task force, U.S. FWS, U.S. Coast Guard.
Safe use of zebra mussels in classroom & labs
- Guidelines. Michigan & Ohio Sea Grant College Programs.
Summary and Findings of the Ballast Discharge Monitoring Device Workshop
- Report. Northeast-Midwest Institute.
The Lake Lanao Issue
- Case studies. ALCOM Foundation, Inc..
U.S. Executive Order on Invasive Species
- 1999. Legal or regulatory text. WJ Clinton. English.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service final rule in the Federal Register regarding snakeheads
- Text from the final rule published in the Federal Register regarding snakeheads October 4, 2002. Legal or regulatory text. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Water Chesnut (Trapa natans): invasive species in the U.S.
- Factsheet. Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant.
Wisconsin Inland Waters with Zebra Mussels (1999)
- List. Wisconsin Sea Grant. English.
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News
Here are the 10 most recent articles on this topic.
Click
here to visit the archive.
2/24/2006 - Zebra mussels invade last watershed (Oakland, MI, US)
5/22/2005 - It's Asian carp against the current (Illinois, USA)
3/30/2005 - Millennium Ecosystem Assessment: Experts say that attention to ecosystem services is needed to achieve global development goals
1/18/2005 - Immediate action sought to protect Great Lakes from invaders
12/1/2004 - Electronic barrier to guard Great Lakes
10/15/2004 - Snakehead ‘Frankenfish’ rears its ugly head in Lake Michigan
9/23/2004 - Lake Norman weed may be Frances' legacy
8/22/2004 - Hydrilla plant: Alien in search of a predator
7/19/2004 - Great Lakes speak out on invasive species
7/3/2004 - CASPIAN: INFLUX OF KILLER JELLYFISH THREATENS FISH STOCKS
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Organizations
Aquatic Ecosystem Restoration Foundation (AERF)
Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force (ANS)
Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
Great Lakes Panel on Aquatic Nuisance Species
Michigan Sea Grant
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS)
Western Zebra Mussel Taskforce
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