Aquatic Invasive Species

Zebra Mussels Found in 12 Additional Lakes
The count of Michigan’s inland lakes infested with zebra mussels grew to more than 200 last year, according to reports compiled by Michigan Sea Grant. In 2004, infestations were confirmed in 12 more lakes, bringing the total to 204.

The invasive mollusks were found for the first time last year in the following lakes: Marion (Charlevoix County), Spider (Grand Traverse County), Long (Hillsdale County), Indian (Kalamazoo County), Runyan (Livingston County), Gunn (Mason County), Corey, Fisher, Palmer, Sturgeon and Wahbememe (St. Joseph County), and Tamarack (Washtenaw County).

Zebra mussels have now been found in 47 of Michigan’s 83 counties. All of the 2004 reports came from lakefront property owners and resource managers who found adult colonies of the mussels clinging to surfaces such as boats, docks, rocks, dams and water pumps. Reports from citizens become part of the Zebra Mussel Infestation Monitoring Program maintained by Michigan Sea Grant.

Contact: Mike Klepinger, (517) 353-5508.
See: www.miseagrant.umich.edu/ais/lakes.html

Zebra Mussels and Blue-Green Algae
Zebra mussels have been associated with a wide range of changes to inland lake ecosystems. Sea Grant research led by Orlando Sarnelle of Michigan State University has shown that lakes colonized by zebra mussels have, on average, three times higher levels of a species of blue-green algae known as Microcystis. Those same lakes also have about three times greater levels of microcystins, a toxin produced by the algae that has been associated with animal deaths and is believed to cause liver damage in humans.

Contact: Orlando Sarnelle, (517) 353-4819.

Exotic Species Teacher Day Camp
Twenty-four Michigan educators participated in Sea Grant’s Exotic Species Teacher Day Camp in August 2004, conducted in cooperation with the Detroit Zoological Foundation.

Held at the Detroit Belle Isle Aquarium and Zoo, this one-day professional development opportunity is designed for teachers interested in adding exotic species information to their classrooms, particularly from Sea Grant’s ESCAPE compendium. Michigan Sea Grant extension educator Steve Stewart introduced participants to Sea Grant’s aquatic invasive species educational materials, and educators have the opportunity to contribute activities to other Sea Grant curriculum materials.

Evaluation results from last year’s camp yielded an overall rating by teachers
of 3.48 on a 4-point scale. “It was great, very hands-on...” noted one participant.
“I wish more workshops were like this.”

To apply for this year’s camp, contact Steve Stewart, (586) 469-7431.

MSU Great Lakes Conference 2005
Aquatic invasive species have troubled the Great Lakes ecosystem for decades. Developing options for preventing and managing them is the theme of the 2005 Great Lakes Conference, Tuesday, March 8, during Michigan State University’s Agriculture and Natural Resources Week. The one-day event is scheduled to begin at 9 am at the Kellogg Center on the MSU campus in East Lansing and is co-sponsored by Michigan Sea Grant.

Contact: Carol Swinehart, (517) 353-9723.
See: www.iwr.msu.edu/events/ANRWeek

Controlling AIS from a Policy Perspective
Most aquatic invasive species arrive from foreign ports, harbored in the ballast tanks of ocean-going vessels. While scientists explore shipboard mechanisms to limit these introductions, two researchers at Michigan State University are investigating policies to promote their use.

With Michigan Sea Grant funding, MSU researchers led by natural resource economists Richard Horan and Frank Lupi investigated and assessed several economic methods, or policy options, that may be used to prevent and control the introduction of aquatic invasive species. Examples of policy options include economic incentives, technology regulations, and market-based systems.
Results of a quantitative model incorporating these alternative ballast water management options demonstrate how flexible, market-based policies can significantly reduce industry-wide ballast management costs, which differ substantially across vessels. The research recommends cost-effective ways that policy makers can use economic incentives to achieve greater environmental risk reductions.

Technical Publications
Horan, R.D. and F. Lupi. “Economic incentives for controlling trade-related biological invasions in the Great Lakes.” Agricultural and Resource Economics Review (forthcoming May 2005).

Horan, R.D., and F. Lupi. “Tradeable risk permits to prevent future introductions of invasive alien species in the Great Lakes.” Ecological Economics (forthcoming 2005).

Contact: Richard Horan, (517) 355-1301.

Getting the Word Out
Michigan Sea Grant works with partners to develop and promote educational materials to help a variety of audiences understand the problem of aquatic invasive species (AIS). In 2004, Michigan Sea Grant communicators collaborated with the Michigan Office of the Great Lakes to plan and promote the state’s officially designated AIS Awareness Week.

As part of its statewide AIS outreach effort, Michigan Sea Grant distributed more than 35,000 AIS publications, fact sheets, brochures and identification cards from 1999-2004.

Materials currently in development include a Great Lakes AIS poster series specially designed for young audiences. Each poster will feature an invasive or potentially invasive plant or animal depicted by colorful illustrations created by Michigan Sea Grant. Poster text will highlight main characteristics of each species and explain why each is—or could become—a problem in the Great Lakes.

Contact: Elizabeth LaPorte, (734) 647-0767.
See: www.miseagrant.umich.edu/ais

Rapid Response Plan for Hydrilla
The saying “no news is good news” is especially appropriate for members of Michigan’s Hydrilla Task Force.

The group developed the state’s first aquatic invasive species rapid response plan in 2004, to raise awareness of the potential for spread of invasive Hydrilla (Hydrilla verticillata) to Michigan waterways and to develop strategies to deal with it quickly if it is found here. The plant has clogged waterways in many southern states and has been identified as far north as Pennsylvania, Massachusetts and Maine.

Michigan Sea Grant representatives on the Hydrilla Task Force developed a volunteer Hydrilla Hunt program in 2004 to enlist citizen participation in detecting the invasive plant before it gains a foothold in Michigan. According to Sea Grant’s

Carol Swinehart, none of the plant specimens submitted to Michigan Sea Grant Extension for identification in 2004 were hydrilla. The campaign was conducted in collaboration with Michigan’s Office of the Great Lakes and Michigan Lake and Stream Associations, with support from MSU Extension’s Water Quality Area of Expertise. Partners developed and distributed several thousand Hydrilla Hunt identification cards, and an informational fact sheet, Heading Off Hydrilla, available online. The campaign was featured on the MSU Web site and on Michigan Radio. This year, Hydrilla information will be distributed to Michigan boaters through boat shows and other boating communication channels.

Contact: Carol Swinehart, (517) 353-9723.