![]() In other areas of the country, native mussels have been wiped out entirely-we don't want this to happen here on the St. In addition, zebra mussels attach themselves to native mussel so the natives can't eat, breathe or reproduce. They reduce the oxygen in the water by critical amounts, and they colonize areas on the river bottom so nothing else can move in. Zebra mussels can take much of food away from other animals. But animals that compete with zebra mussels, like our rich assortment of native mussels, will find it tough going. However, in the presence of an explosion in numbers, zebra mussels will attach to anything, including plants, reducing the plant's health.Īs for animals, if they enjoy increases in water clarity and plant cover-they may do ok. This allows sunlight to reach deeper in the water, and will lead to increased plant growth. As the exotic mussels eat, they filter particles out the water. In some respects, zebra mussels would be good for plants. When zebra mussels die in large numbers, they can, like any animal, be a health hazard and smelly.Ĩ. Not directly, however, one doesn't want to step on their broken shells as they can be sharp. Help prevent the spread of zebra mussels by cleaning your boat. Humans and their boats are really the only way zebra mussels can move upstream, or across land. Generally, they will never move again, unless, of course, this good hard surface is a boat that moves them or they get knocked off. After three weeks, they settle down in the river or lake to find a good hard surface upon which to attach. When zebra mussels are larvae, less than 3 weeks old, they float in the water and move with the current. The "insides" or body of a zebra mussel contains mussel tissue and various organs used for respiration, digestion, and reproduction.Ħ. The shell is made up of lots of calcium and protein, kinda like an eggshell. So both eaters of phytoplankton and zooplankton may be impacted. Little insects and fish can't eat this spit. Two important thing to note: Lots of zebra mussels can eat lots of food, so other animals might not have as much as they need, and what zebra mussels don't eat, like zooplankton, or little floating animals, they wrap up in liquid and spit onto the river/lake bottom. Zebra mussels are filter feeders they take in water and remove what food they want. Phytoplankton: very small plants, like algae, that float in the water. The byssus grows out of the "back" or hinge of the mussel. They use little sticky threads call a byssus, or byssal threads to attach to things. They don't want to get washed away, so when they find a good place with plenty of food and good water (oxygen, pretty clean, etc.), they want to stay put so they attach. Why do they like to stick to hard things like bridges and boats? This is where they are found today as well as some scattered lakes.Ģ. Since then they have spread by attaching to boats and floating with currents throughout the Great Lakes and Mississippi watersheds. They would have been brought there in ballast water, survived, and reproduced to a number where they were noticed. Zebra mussels were first discovered in Detroit's Lake St. So whatever is in the ballast can travel thousands of miles before being released into new waters. This water is picked up in the homeport carried with in the ship and dumped out as they prepare to load cargo. If the ship is not transporting cargo, that ballast is water. When large ships head out on to the open ocean, they need to carry weight, called ballast, to remain stable. Zebra mussels were carried with the trade vessels to Europe and spread throughout the continent, reaching the Isle of Great Britain by the 1830's. Due to extensive trade between this region and Europe during the 17th and 18th centuries they were able to spread. Zebra Mussels are originally from the Caspian Sea region of Northern Iran, Azerbaijan, southern Russia, Kazakhstan, and Turkmenistan.
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