Fowlers Toad essays

Fowler's Toad essays Zebra mussels are filter feeders, and they are capable of filtering about one litre of water per day while feeding primarily on algae. They were transported from Europe as stowaways in the ballast water of transoceanic ships and pose significant social, economic The zebra mussel disrupts natures food chain. They remove nearly all particle matter, by removing significant amounts of plankton from the water. They remove food for microscopic zooplankton, which in turn are food for fish larvae, juvenile fishes, and other plankton-feeding forage fish. These forage fish support sport and commercial fisheries. This competition for plankton, the base of the marine food chain, could have a lasting effect on the fish populations of the Great Lakes. Most rocky areas of Lake Erie are almost completely covered in the mussel several inches deep. In a laboratory observation, the accumulation in these beds makes a foul environment with very acidic water. Positive/Negative Effects on the Ecosystem In Lake Erie the zebra mussel has already reduced native mussels. The dirty water will reduce energy reserves of fish because they have to work harder to stay alive. It will also increase vulnerability to the other environment stresses. Such as extreme water temperatures, lack of food, or parasites and disease. As zebra mussel spread, they may eliminate rarer species of mussels. The zebra mussel has improved the water clarity of Lake Erie. The filtering of water may increase the exposure humans and animals have to organic pollutants. Early studies have shown that the zebra mussel can accumulate organic pollutants in their tissue to more then 300,000 times greater than concentrations in the environment. They then deposit these pollutants in their waste. These are then passed up the food chain so any fish or waterfowl who co ...