USGS Frequently Asked Questions
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Question:
What impact are zebra mussels having on the ecosystem?
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Answer: One of the most well documented impacts is that on our native mussels. Zebra mussels are anchoring themselves by the thousands to native mussels making it impossible for the native mussel to function. As many as 10,000 zebra mussels have attached to a single native mussel. Our natives have all but disappeared in Lake St. Clair and the western basin of Lake Erie. Zebra mussels also are filtering the Great Lakes at an amazing rate, making the lake very clear. Most people assume that this increased visibility in the water must mean the water is "cleaner". Not true. All they have done is filter out all the algae which normally would be food for native microscopic organisms.
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Source of this FAQ:
http://fl.biology.usgs.gov/
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U.S. Department of the Interior |
U.S. Geological Survey