aquatic exotics in wisconsin a presentation developed by wisconsin sea grant advisory services march...
TRANSCRIPT
Aquatic Exotics In Wisconsin
A Presentation Developed
by
Wisconsin Sea Grant Advisory Services
March 2004
Aquatic Exotics In Wisconsin• Wisconsin has become host to several
aquatic species that never existed here naturally
• Some Atlantic Ocean species came in through the Welland Canal: – Lampreys, 1930’s– Alewife, 1949– White perch, 1989– Three-spine stickleback 1991
Aquatic Exotics In Wisconsin
• Some were intentionally introduced:– Chinook and Coho salmon 1963 – Rainbow trout 1963– Brown trout 1960’s– Carp in 1880’s
Aquatic Exotics In Wisconsin
• Some escaped from lakes, ponds or as bait:– Smelt– Goldfish– Grass Carp– Rusty Crayfish– Purple Loosestrife
Aquatic Exotics In Wisconsin
• Some recent invaders came in the ballast water of sea-going ships:– Ruffe in 1986 – Zebra Mussels in 1988– Spiny water flea in 1990– Round goby in 1995
• Invasive species traits:– High reproductive rate – Mature quickly– Eat various types of food– Tolerate poor water quality– Easily adapt to new habitats
Aquatic Exotics In Wisconsin
• Native species traits: – Have narrow food preferences– Require certain spawning habitat– Intolerant of poor water quality
Aquatic Exotics In Wisconsin
• A Quick look at six recent invaders:– Zebra mussels– Round goby– Ruffe– Purple loosestrife– Eurasian milfoil– Spiny water fleas
Aquatic Exotics In Wisconsin
Zebra MusselMax. size ~ 2’’
Introduced via ballast water from Europe
First found in Lake St. Claire (MI) in 1988
Eats plankton, filters up to 1 liter of water per day
Produce 40,000 eggs/year
Densities up to 700,000 per sq. meter = 43,000 on a piece of notebook paper
Zebra Mussel
Milwaukee
Green Bay
Madison
Settle to bottom and attach to substrate
Planktonic up to 1 month
Zebra Mussel Life Cycle
JuvenileAdult
Byssal Threads
4-5 Years
Egg
VeligerPost Veliger
3-5 Days
Can be seen
Microscopic
Can be felt
Wisconsin Sea Grant Advisory Services
Zebra Mussels Colonize Lots of Things
Zebra mussels get moved to new lakes by water in and weeds on boats.
Wisconsin Waters Infested with Zebra Mussels
Lake Michigan, Lake Superior, Mississippi River and 52 inland waters:
Brown County (1)
Lower Fox River
Calumet County(1)
Lake Winnebago
Dane County (1)
Lake Monona
Fond du Lac (2)
Lake Winnebago
Long Lake
Forest County (1)Lake Metonga
Kenosha County (5)
Silver Lake
Lake Andrea
Elizabeth Lake
Lake Mary
Powers Lake
Manitowoc County (1)
Cedar Lake
Oconto County (1)
Machickanee Flowage
Sheboygan County (4)
Sheboygan Marsh
Big Elkhart Lake
Crystal Lake
Lake Ellen
Racine County (4)
Racine Quarry
Waubeesee Lake
Wind Lake
Tichigan lake
Shawano County (1)
Shawano Lake
Walworth County (4)
Lake Geneva
Beulah Lake
Delavan Lake
Lauderdale Chain of Lakes
Wisconsin Waters Infested with Zebra Mussels
Lac La Belle
Oconomowoc Lake
Oconomowoc River
Lake Nagawicka
Little Muskego Lake
Lower Nashotah Lake
Upper and
Lower Nemahbin Lakes
Wisconsin Waters Infested with Zebra Mussels
Bark River
Crooked Lake
Pewaukee Lake
Okauchee Lake
North lake
Fowler Lake
Golden lake
Upper and
Lower Phantom Lake
Waukesha County (17)
Washington County (3)
Big Cedar Lake
Little Cedar Lake
Pike Lake
Waushara County (1)
Long Lake
Adams County (1)
Arrowhead Lake
Winnebago County (4)
Lake Winnebago
Lake Butte des Morts
Lake Poygan
Lake Winneconne
Wood County (1)
Lake Nepco
Wisconsin River
Wisconsin Waters Infested with Zebra Mussels
(17 counties, 51 (17 counties, 51 lakes)lakes)
Zebra Mussels 2004
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
50
55
1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005
Year
Tota
l Num
ber
Wisconsin Lakes With Zebra Wisconsin Lakes With Zebra MusselsMussels ?51
Ruffe
3-4’’ Long
Max. 10’’
Introduced via ballast water from Southern Europe
Affects perch, whitefish and minnows
Eats fish eggs, bottom-dwelling insects and worms
First found in 1986 in Lake Superior
Now Present in Lakes Superior, Huron and Michigan
S. Zienert
Milwaukee
Green BayRuffe
Superior
Madison
Round Goby
3-4’’ Long
Max. 10’’
Introduced via ballast water from Europe
Affects sculpins and other bottom-dwelling species
Eats fish eggs, bottom-dwelling insects and worms
Present in all the Great Lakes, Chicago River
Round Goby
Green Bay
Madison
Superior
Milwaukee
Sturgeon Bay
Purple Loosestrife
4-Sided Stem
Destroys Habitat
Controlled by:
Physical Removal
Beetles
Displaces Native Vegetation
2 Million Seeds per Year
Galerucella beetles: biocontrol for purple loosestrife
Purple Loosestrife
Eurasian Watermilfoil
- Displaces native vegetation- Clogs boating and swimming areas- Spread by boaters through fragmentation
Control:Northern milfoil beetleChemical
Eurasian milfoil compared to Northern milfoil
Eurasian MilfoilPresent in:Present in:> 52 > 52 counties > counties > 400 waters400 waters
• Native to southern U.S.• Introduced with bait• Aggressive• Destroys vegetation as they feed• Displaces native crayfish• Present in many Wisconsin lakes• Often spread as bait
Rusty Crayfish
Rusty CrayfishDocumentedDocumentedSuspectedSuspected
Spiny Water Flea - ‘BC’ & ‘CP’
Introduced via ballast water from Europe
Foul fishing lines and nets (look fuzzy or gooey)
Long spines make them hard for fish to eat
Present in all the Great Lakes
Bythotrephes cederstroemi& Cercopagis pengoi 5mm Long
Max. 1/3’’
Spiny Zooplankton
Milwaukee
Green Bay
Madison
Superior
Drain bilge water
Dispose of live bait
Clean off weeds
Preventing The Spread
If You Catch An Aquatic Exotic
KEEP It:
FREEZE It:
Put it in a plastic bag or foil
Put it in a freezer or ice chest
REPORT It:Call: Wisconsin DNR
Wisconsin Sea Grantor
• How Can You Help?– Learn To Identify Them– Report If You Catch One– Know Their Effects on the Ecosystem– Prevent Their Spread– Teach Others
Aquatic Exotics In Wisconsin
For More Information
• Visit the Sea Grant Nonindigenous Species Sites:
• www.sgnis.org• www.seagrant.wisc.edu• Or Call:
– Wisconsin Sea Grant• (920) 683-4697
– Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources• (608) 266-9270