1.The Zebra Mussel (Dreissena Polymorpha) are small organisms
that are native to the Black, Caspian, and Azov Seas. They are found non-natively throughout Europe and America. 2.It is believed that they were unintentionally introduced into North America by the emptying of ballast tank water from commercial transatlantic ships into the Great Lakes. “When ballast tanks are filled, many forms of aquatic life in the source water are drawn into the tanks. Once in ballast tanks, organisms can be transported to other areas and subsequently discharged into waters at foreign ports,” the Lake George Association explained.
3.The Zebra Mussel is able to spread so quickly throughout its
environment by the large numbers of the offspring. Each female Zebra Mussel can produce up to a million offspring called veligers, that sur-
vive by attaching themselves onto any hard surface, which may be transported to other water sources, spreading the Zebra Mussels to new water sources. 4.Zebra Mussels eat large quantities of microscopic plants and animals that are at the base of the food web. They also carry inside them toxic materials that harm anything that consumes them, like fish. As well as this, they attach themselves to native muss-
els, making it harder for the mussels to eat, or do anything at all.
5.Zebra Mussels cause problems for humans, not only other sea
life. They clog up water pipes, used for municipal drinking water, and clog the water intake pipes of small private residents, often corroding iron pipes, and can as well clog fire hydrants, creating problems for firefighters. Zebra Mussels often make colonies on docks, boat bottoms and engines, and buoys, which corrode them, often destroying them. They will cause swimming areas to be deserted because of them washing up on shores, and colonizing on rocks, making people avoid the sharp edges. Zebra Mussels also create drag in boats, because of them colonizing on them, which increases fuel consumption, polluting waters.
6.Zebra Mussels are being removed from areas they are not
native to, because of the problems they create in those areas for wild-
life, and for humans. It is encouraged for people to check on boats, docks, and buoys for Zebra Mussels when they are at lakes, contact professionals immediately that will see to the removal of them, and to store the Zebra Mussel/s in rubbing alcohol until professionals arrive and take care of the situation.
