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 a research pond in La Crosse, Wisconsin, scientists from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and U.S. Geological Survey are testing the effectiveness of a new strategy to ward off an Asian carp invasion that’s threatening the health of the Great Lakes, including Lake Michigan. The study called for placing a carbon dioxide infusion
Introduced to Malheur Lake as early as the 1920s, likely as a food source for people living in the arid region, the invasive carp have now taken over the lake. Historically, Malheur Lake was utilized by up to 35% of the Pacific Flyway’s canvasback population, was the second most important redhead production site in the
Asian carp were imported from China to the U.S. in the 1970s to remove algae from catfish farms and wastewater treatment ponds. Somehow they escaped and migrated north through the Mississippi and Illinois rivers. The species spawn in rivers and feed on phytoplankton, disrupting the food chain for younger fish. The voracious eaters can weigh
Located about six miles northwest of East Troy, Wisconsin; sits a small 95 acre lake surrounded by high quality wetlands and rich marshes. In terms of ecological importance, Lulu Lake ranks high on the list of Wisconsin’s lakes. The lake and its watershed comprise one of Wisconsin’s highest quality natural areas. Prior to electric refrigeration,
Heard Pond became so heavily infested that the beauty and recreational value of it were lost. Once flourishing with native water lilies Heard Pond had a reputation for great fishing and bird watching. All gone, due to the lack of open water, nearly completely covered with water chestnut. Water chestnuts are native to parts of Eurasia
Penn State | News April 18, 2013 When you look at lovely water gardens in backyards and at businesses — and feel soothed by the serenity they convey — you would not guess that they represent troubled waters for ecosystems in the mid-Atlantic region. The explosion in popularity of water gardening has resulted in
Written by Madeline Seveland, Education Coordinator with Carver County Water Management Invasive Species have been steadily gaining more interest with lawmakers, interest groups and the public since the introduction of zebra mussels into Lake Minnetonka and the threat of Asian carp in the Mississippi River. Here are the top ten reasons you should care about
A fairly dry winter with very little snowfall plus near drought like conditions this summer has lead to even more aquatic plants. Another invasive species is quickly filling in exposed lake beds which are occurring due to historic low water levels. Phragmites, the Common Reed, is a large perennial grass that can grow up to
Invasive species are non-native species that are introduced, often by human activity, into an area and cause damage to that area’s ecosystem. Non-native species tend to lack natural predators giving them a definite advantage to propagate in a new area. As a response to the increase of invasive species in Wisconsin, the Department of Natural
Native to Africa and believed to have been introduced to American waters from the aquarium trade in the 1960’s, hydrilla has quickly spread across the southern U.S. from Connecticut to California. By the 1990’s millions was spent yearly on its control, but this year New York alone has budgeted $800,000 to fight the invasive aquatic plant.