http://outdoornews.com/news/article_...cc4c03286.html

On May 26, 10:06*pm, LilAbner wrote:
http://outdoornews.com/news/article_...88fd-001cc4c03...

Zebra Mussels helped to clean up Lake Erie. It's those dam Asian Carp
you should be wary of.

On 5/27/2011 6:53 PM, *e#c wrote:
On May 26, 10:06 pm, wrote:
http://outdoornews.com/news/article_...88fd-001cc4c03...

Zebra Mussels helped to clean up Lake Erie. It's those dam Asian Carp
you should be wary of.


What impact are Zebra mussels having on the ecosystem?

One of the most well documented impacts is on our native mussels. Zebra
mussels are anchoring themselves by the thousands to native mussels
making it impossible for the native mussel to function. As many as
10,000 zebra mussels have attached to a single native mussel. Our
natives have all but disappeared in Lake St. Clair and the western basin
of Lake Erie. Zebra mussels also are filtering the Great Lakes at an
amazing rate, making the lake very clear. Most people assume that this
increased visibility in the water must mean the water is "cleaner". Not
true. All they have done is filter out all the algae which normally
would be food for native microscopic organisms.

In article ,
says...

On 5/27/2011 6:53 PM, *e#c wrote:
On May 26, 10:06 pm, wrote:
http://outdoornews.com/news/article_...88fd-001cc4c03...

Zebra Mussels helped to clean up Lake Erie. It's those dam Asian Carp
you should be wary of.


What impact are Zebra mussels having on the ecosystem?

One of the most well documented impacts is on our native mussels. Zebra
mussels are anchoring themselves by the thousands to native mussels
making it impossible for the native mussel to function. As many as
10,000 zebra mussels have attached to a single native mussel. Our
natives have all but disappeared in Lake St. Clair and the western basin
of Lake Erie. Zebra mussels also are filtering the Great Lakes at an
amazing rate, making the lake very clear. Most people assume that this
increased visibility in the water must mean the water is "cleaner". Not
true. All they have done is filter out all the algae which normally
would be food for native microscopic organisms.

Zebra mussels filter the water of the St. Lawrence ever 18 hours. What
is your problem.

On May 28, 8:24*am, BAR wrote:


Zebra mussels filter the water of the *St. Lawrence ever 18 hours. What
is your problem.

Here's some of the good and the bad...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zebra_mussel

Effects of zebra mussels Zebra mussel infestation on the walls of
Arthur V. Ormond Lock on the Arkansas River Zebra mussel-encrusted
Vector Averaging Current Meter from Lake Michigan

Zebra mussels are filter feeders. When in the water, they open their
shells to admit detritus.

Zebra mussels are a great nuisance to people. Since colonization of
the Great Lakes, they have covered the undersides of docks, boats, and
anchors. They have also spread into streams and rivers nationwide. In
some areas they completely cover the substrate, sometimes covering
other freshwater mussels. They can grow so densely that they block
pipelines, clogging water intakes of municipal water supplies and
hydroelectric companies.

As their shells are very sharp, they are known for cutting people's
feet, resulting in the need to wear water shoes.

Zebra mussels are also believed to be the source of deadly avian
botulism poisoning that has killed tens of thousands of birds in the
Great Lakes since the late 1990s.[20]

However, zebra mussels and other non-native species are credited with
the increased population and size of smallmouth bass in Lake Erie[21]
and yellow perch in Lake St. Clair.[22] They cleanse the waters of
inland lakes, resulting in increased sunlight penetration and growth
of native algae at greater depths. This cleansing also increases water
visibility and filters out pollutants. Each quagga and zebra mussel
filters about 1 US quart (0.95 l) of water a day when confined to
small tanks.[23] In lakes, their filtering effects are usually
spatially restricted (near the lake bottom) due to non-homogeneous
water column mixing.