Aquatic invasive species are non-native plants and animals that disrupt ecosystems, harm wildlife, and impact recreation. Learn how they spread, the problems they cause, and safe methods for control and management.
In 2023, invasive quagga mussels were discovered in the Snake River near Twin Falls, Idaho. To stop the spread, officials carried out a large-scale chemical treatment using copper-based products. Two years later, the results show just how much damage these treatments can cause—and how little success they’ve had in eliminating the mussels. Chemical Treatments: Lethal
Water hyacinth is often seen as a serious problem in lakes and rivers around the world. The fast-growing invasive plant can clog waterways, block sunlight, reduce oxygen levels, and harm native wildlife. Managing large infestations is difficult and expensive, especially in tropical and subtropical regions where the plant spreads quickly. Now, researchers are exploring whether
Water hyacinth, one of the most invasive aquatic plants, poses serious threats to waterbodies across India, including Pashan Lake in Pune and Powai Lake in Mumbai. As municipal authorities struggle to manage these infestations, the use of herbicides such as glyphosate is being considered as a cheaper and quicker solution. However, applying glyphosate to control
A new invasive type of water hyacinth, Salvinia spp., has been discovered in Lake Victoria. It reproduces rapidly, doubling its biomass within 8 days due to high nutrient levels caused by human activities such as improper waste disposal and deforestation. Over 36 tons have already been removed, but the plant continues to spread, threatening fish
Invasive Eurasian water milfoil is flourishing in Wisconsin’s lakes, sometimes outcompeting native plants and creating floating mats that cause problems for people, boats and property values. But new research shows that the benefits of using one type of historical lake-wide herbicide treatment may be outweighed by the costs to native aquatic plants. Lake management teams
Preliminary results from systematic monitoring of Wisconsin lakes for aquatic invasive species confirm that boaters, not ducks or other birds, are spreading the invaders around. That is according to state and University of Wisconsin-Madison researchers. None of the wilderness lakes surveyed – those in remote places and easily accessible only to wildlife – had any
While water chestnut would literally take over the river from shore to shore, the Mystic River Watershed Association and many partners battled the invasive plant with the help of mechanical harvesters and by organizing volunteer hand-pulling events. Water chestnut (Trapa natans) is native to Asia, Europe and Africa. It was introduced in 1897 by a
Hydrilla and water hyacinth, two of the worst aquatic weeds, have taken over the surface of Tapi River in India just above the pumping stations. This phenomenon of summer, which creates problems in the pumping of water from the pumping stations to Surat city, has occurred this time of the year for the first time.