Quagga Mussels by Tyler Moravec

I did my project on Quagga Mussels, an invasive species that is causing major problems for the Great Lakes. They are able to handle a variety of different water depths and can tolerate more temperatures giving them an advantage over their cousin, the Zebra Mussel. Originating from Europe, the Quagga Mussels are very efficient filter feeders. They can filter up to between 1 quart and 1 liter a day. A single female mussel can lay up to 5 million eggs, 100,000 of which will reach adulthood. In turn, the offspring of a single mussel will end up producing a half billion offspring. With so many Quaggas filtering the water and eating the phytoplankton, the water becomes more clear and there isn't as much phytoplankton for other organisms to feed on. This will disrupt the whole food web as many species depend on the phytoplankton. Smaller organisms, such as the shrimp-like Diporeia, are finding it harder and harder to find their food. Without as much food the number of Diporeias are dropping. This will end up affecting the smaller fish that feed on Diporeia and then the bigger fish that eat the smaller fish. With all these fish being affected and numbers decreasing, the Great Lakes fishery, valued at $7 billion, is at risk. It also costs money to keep the mussels off boats, docks and from clogging up pipes. Not only do these affect the other fish and the economy, but it also affects recreational activities. With clearer water from the filtering, sunlight is able to get through the water better and help the algae grow more productively. This will eventually end up affecting the lake as a whole, and the beaches when the algae washes up on the beaches. With so many of the mussels throughout the lakes, with our current technology complete eradication is not likely possible, making it even more important to try to prevent further spreading. People should not transport, possess, sell or move Quagga Mussels. They should check their boats and other equipment to make sure they are not holding any mussels.  Without proper knowledge and prevention, the spread of the Quagga Mussels will only get worse.