Species Regional Summary
Dreissena polymorpha
Lake Ontario ( GL-III )

Invasion History Vectors Impacts References

Invasion

Invasion Description

1st Record: St. Catherines/Ontario/Lake Ontario (1989 USGS Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Program 2008)

Geographic Extent

St.Catherines/Ontario/Lake Ontario (1989, Center for Aquatic Resource Studies 2008); Monroe CWA, Rochester/NY/Lake Ontario, New York (1990, USGS Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Program 2008)

Vectors

Level Vector
Alternate Natural Dispersal
Alternate Ballast Water

Regional Impacts

Economic ImpactIndustry
Fouling of natural gas wellheads by zebra mussels, in Lake Ontario, caused maintenance problems by 1990 (Carlton 2008).
 
Ecological ImpactHabitat Change
The Zebra Mussel invasion was accompanied by greatly increased transparency in Lake Ontario, along with a great increase in submerged macrophytes and filamentous algae (Limburg et al. 2010). The introduced amphipod Echinogammarus ischnus was strongly associated with dreissenid mussels, mostly D. polymorpha (Kang et al. 2007).
 
Economic ImpactAesthetic
Limburg et al. (2010) surveyed home and business owners about perceptions of water quality changes in Lake Ontario, caused by zebra mussels. There was a general positive assessment of increased water clarity, but negative perceptions of an increase in filamentous algae (Cladophora). These two changes were perceived to have opposite effects on property values, and businesses associated with recreation (Limburg et al. 2010).
 

References

Full Reference List for Dreissena polymorpha

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