AIS

Question 1

Common Carp

Answer 1

• Purposely introduced from Asia in 1886 –
  now considered a nuisance.
• Constantly stir up bottom sediments.
• Reduce water clarity.
• Destroy habitat.
• Lowers species diversity and abundance.
• Release nutrients from sediment.
• Rapid growth rate – highly successful.

Question 2

Spiny Waterflea

Answer 2

• Discovered in the Winnipeg River in Manitoba in 2009.
• A very small invertebrate (1-1.5 cm) with a long, barbed tail (60 - 80% of body size).
• New predator that feeds heavily on zooplankton.
• Transferred by un-cleaned watercraft and equipment, interconnected water bodies,
  and transfer of live bait.
• Capable of rapid expansion

Question 3

what makes zebra mussels so succesful

Answer 3

• No natural predators.
• Females produce up to 1 million eggs per year!
• Eggs and free-floating veligers (microscopic larvae) disperse by water currents and human-based
  vectors such as watercraft.
• After 2-3 weeks, veligers start to form shell, attach to substrate and grow

Question 4

Impacts of zebra mussels

Answer 4

Increased water clarity and aquatic vegetation
growth.
* Increase in toxic algal blooms.
* Altered aquatic food webs.
* Decrease in Lake Whitefish and Walleye
populations.
* Decrease in native mussel populations.
* Reduced recreational potential.
* Clogged intake structures.
* Increased drag on watercraft.
also industry impacts (clooging pipes) and recreational impact