The Impact of the Zebra Mussel in North America Term Paper by Nicky

A brief discussion on the invasive patterns and negative impacts of the zebra mussel in North America.
# 149847 | 922 words | 4 sources | APA | 2012 | US
Published on Jan 03, 2012 in Biology (Marine) , Environmental Studies (Environmental Problems) , Biology (Ecology)


$19.95 Buy and instantly download this paper now

Description:

The paper outlines the destructive practices of the mussel, a freshwater animal, that include the obstruction of waterways, the competitive destruction of other mussel species and the interruption of local food chains. The paper focuses on the ecological disruptions caused by the zebra mussel in the freshwaters of the Great Lakes. The paper points out that the best resolutions being offered today are preventative measures.

From the Paper:

"The negative effects of the invasion would become immediately apparent to the people of North America. The Great Lakes remain most impacted by the zebra mussel, even as it appears in other colder freshwater environs today. And the infrastructural consequences for human structures would perhaps provide the most immediate signal to marine biologists of the problem of this invasive species. As Macisaac (1996) reports in correlation to the spread of the species, "fouling of water intake pipes and associated installations can severely impair water delivery to hydroelectric, municipal and industrial users, necessitating proactive or reactive control measures." (Macisaac, 287)
"There is also a continued discourse on the balance of positive and negative associated with the behavior of zebra mussels. That is, "zebra mussel filters about a quart of water a day--and there are billions of them in Lake Michigan alone. The result is startlingly clear water that delights recreational boaters but disturbs scientists like Jude and his colleague Mark Edlund because the water's been stripped of life-supporting algae." (Erickson, 1) But this represents the mixed outlook with which scientists are grappling. Just as the filtering reduces algae to an extent that threatens some marine life, it simultaneously reduces the toxicity of waters and attacks many of the human made pollutants which have been released into the water."

Sample of Sources Used:

  • Erickson, J. (2009). Great Lakes: 'Amazing Change.' Michigan Today. Online at http://michigantoday.umich.edu/2009/07/story.php?id=7510&tr=y&auid=5077806
  • Meyer, B. (2009). Zebra Mussels Clog City's Water Intake Pipe. The Buffalo News. Online at http://www.buffalonews.com/home/story/739629.html?imw=Y
  • Leach, J.H. (1993). Impacts of the Zebra Mussel (Dreissena polymorpha) on Water Quality and Fish Spawning Reefs in Western Lake Erie. Zebra Mussels: Biology, Impacts, and Control, 381-397
  • Macisaac, H.J. (1996). Potential Abiotic and Biotic Impacts of Zebra Mussels on the Inland Waters of North America. American Zoologist, 36(3), 287-299.

Cite this Term Paper:

APA Format

The Impact of the Zebra Mussel in North America (2012, January 03) Retrieved March 23, 2023, from https://www.academon.com/term-paper/the-impact-of-the-zebra-mussel-in-north-america-149847/

MLA Format

"The Impact of the Zebra Mussel in North America" 03 January 2012. Web. 23 March. 2023. <https://www.academon.com/term-paper/the-impact-of-the-zebra-mussel-in-north-america-149847/>

Comments