Secondary spread of zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha) in coupled lake-stream systems
نویسندگان
چکیده
We postulated that dispersal through streams is an important factor in the spread of nonindigenous aquatic species to uninvaded lakes. We tested this hypothesis with zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha), whose planktonic larvae are particularly prone to transport through streams. To examine this potential mechanism of spread, we (1) assessed populations of zebra mussels in 2000 and 2003 in coupled lake-stream systems of the St. Joseph River basin (Indiana and Michigan, USA) and (2) examined the interconnectedness of lake-stream systems by evaluating all invaded inland lakes and reservoirs in the United States. We compared observed patterns in zebra mussel populations in 2000 and 2003 to patterns predicted by two proposed models of spread: the static source–sink model and the progressive downstream-march model. Adult zebra mussel densities in lake outflows declined with distance downstream of invaded lakes. Maximum downstream occurrences of adults were variable over the years surveyed, but did not increase through time, suggesting that the source–sink model best fit zebra mussel distributions in these lake-stream couplets. For the conterminous US, we examined the connectedness of inland lakes in close proximity to invaded lakes to determine if stream connections were related to invasions. We also measured the distances between invaded lakes and downstream lakes that were potential recipients of colonists to examine the importance of stream distance in relation to zebra mussel invasions. Lakes connected to invaded lakes were more likely to be invaded than non-connected lakes, and the probability of becoming invaded increased with the proximity between lakes. Our results suggest that a better understanding of the role that streams play as pathways for new biological invasions is crucial for directing management and prevention efforts.
منابع مشابه
Dreissena polymorpha in Lake Constance: An example of a keystone engineer?
In the last decades, zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha) have invaded many freshwater systems with severe consequences for entire communities. Most benthic macroinvertebrates, especially amphipods and chironomids, increase in abundance in the presence of zebra mussels. Increased structural complexity and an unknown biotic factor lead to this effect. Dreissena-associated factors that might infl...
متن کاملDo invasive mussels restrict offshore phosphorus transport in Lake Huron?
Dreissenid mussels were first documented in the Laurentian Great Lakes in the late 1980s. Zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha) spread quickly into shallow, hard-substrate areas; quagga mussels (Dreissena rostriformis bugensis) spread more slowly and are currently colonizing deep, offshore areas. These mussels occur at high densities, filter large water volumes while feeding on suspended materia...
متن کاملImpacts of Zebra Mussels ( Dreissena polymorpha ) on the Benthic Community in Kashong Bay , Seneca Lake , Ontario County , New York : 1992 - 94
On July 13, 1992 a team of researchers from the BFS visited Kashong Bay in order to provide a characterization of the benthic community prior to expected impacts by the then recent introduction of the zebra mussel, Dreissena polymorpha (Harman, 1993a). A transect was erected perpendicular to the shoreline from the eulittoral zone (beach) to 25 feet in depth. Inspection by SCUBA was used to coll...
متن کاملZebra Mussel ( Dreissena polymorpha ) Population Distribution In the Mohawk River System : A pilot Study
Dreissena polymorpha, the zebra mussel, a pestiferous mollusk from Eurasia, has spread throughout the navigable waters of the Northeastern United States since its introduction into the Great Lakes system in 1986 (Maxwell, 1992). The appearance of these organisms in the Mohawk River system was first reported in 1991 (O'Neill, 1991). By the summer of 1994 zebra mussels had successfully colonized ...
متن کاملذخیره در منابع من
با ذخیره ی این منبع در منابع من، دسترسی به آن را برای استفاده های بعدی آسان تر کنید
عنوان ژورنال:
دوره شماره
صفحات -
تاریخ انتشار 2005