Below the Surface: Aquatic Invasives

Transcription

1 Below the Surface: Aquatic Invasives DATE AND TIME SPEAKER(S) Thursday, 25 February 2010 / 10AM-1130AM Doug Keller Aquatic Invasive Species Coordinator Indiana DNR, Division of Fish and Wildlife 402 W. Washington Street, Rm W73 Indianapolis, IN dkeller@dnr.in.gov SESSION DESCRIPTION Lurking beneath the sparkling blues of our waterways and lakes are an astonishing assortment of aquatic invasives. Discover how park agencies and individuals can identify, prevent and treat water resources for invaders. This session provides a review of techniques to keep your water resources invasive-free and native-friendly will provide agencies with practical how to information. SESSION LEARNING OBJECTIVES Identify common and threatening aquatic invasives for the Great Lakes region, their source and prevalence. Describe ways in which the invasives can be prevented reaching a water resource and the steps in treating for aquatic invasives.

2 AQUATIC INVASIVE SPECIES - THE CHALLENGE Doug Keller Aquatic Invasive Species Coordinator Division of Fish & Wildlife DEFINITION OF INVASIVE NON-NATIVE, EXOTIC, ALIEN HARMFUL IMPACTS ON AQUATIC RESOURCES IMPACT HUMAN USE OF RESOURCE ALL INVASIVES ARE EXOTIC NOT ALL EXOTICS ARE INVASIVE SOME NATIVES ARE A NUISANCE BUT NOT INVASIVE WHAT WOULD YOU DO? HOW THEY GETTING HERE? WHY DO THEY HAVE AN ADVANTAGE? GROW FAST GROW EARLY GROW AT LOW LIGHT PREDATORS NOT HERE SUPERIOR REPRODUCTIVE STRATEGIES SURVIVE IN VARIETY OF HABITATS SURVIVE IN POOR WATER QUALITY INVASIVE PLANT IMPACTS RECREATIONAL LOSS FISHING BOATING SWIMMING FISH POPULATION CHANGES INDUSTRIAL WATER USE DRAINAGE/FLOODING PROPERTY VALUE $$$ TO CONTROL 1

3 PLANT THREATS BRAZILIAN ELODEA WHAT S IN COMMON? ALL WERE ONCE POPULAR IN TRADE AND HAVE ESCAPED!!! BRAZILIAN ELODEA IN U.S. BRAZILIAN ELODEA IN INDIANA 22 POPULATIONS 10 ERADICATED 8 UNDER MANAGEMENT 4 NO ACTION 2 STATE WATERS 1 STATE WATER GARDEN 17 PRIVATE PONDS <2 ac. 2 PRIVATE LAKES ac GRIFFY LAKE - COSTS 06 and 07 WHOLE-LAKE CHEMICAL TREATMENT HYDRILLA $150,000 FOR 109 ACRE LAKE ($1380/AC) IN TREATMENT AND SURVEYS NON-DETECTABLE SINCE SPRING 07 DECLARED ERADICATED FALL 09 2

4 HYDRILLA IN THE U.S. LAKE MANITOU HYDRILLA LAKE MANITOU - COSTS PERIODIC ACCESS RESTRICTIONS UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE WHOLE-LAKE CHEMICAL TREATMENT 3 YEARS SO FAR (2010 IS 4 th YEAR) EXPECTED MINIMUM $1.5M TO ERADICATE HYDRILLA FROM 735 ACRE LAKE ($2,040/AC) ERADICATION BEGAN 5/07 ARE WE WINNING? 88% REDUCTION YEAR 1 93% REDUCTION YEARS 1 & 2 95% REDUCTION YEARS 1,2,3 IDENTIFYING THE ELODEA- LIKE PLANTS PARROT FEATHER Brazilian elodea a. Hydrilla c. b. Both plants typically have whorls of 4 or more spear-shaped leaves around the stem (a); in contrast, native elodeas* have 2-3 leaves per whorl. Hydrilla leaves have obvious coarse teeth along their edges (b); native and Brazilian elodea leaves do not. Hydrilla may have bulb-like tubers (c); native and Brazilian elodeas will not. 3

5 PARROT FEATHER ID SUBMERSED LEAVES UP TO 2, FEATHER-LIKE (MILFOIL FAMILY) DIVISIONS/LEAF WHORLS OF 4-6 LEAVES AROUND STEM SOMETIMES EMERGES UP TO DIVISIONS/LEAF SMALL FIR TREES FRAGMENTATION POPULAR IN TRADE NO HABITAT IT DOESN T LIKE! MOLLUSK IMPACTS INVASIVE MOLLUSKS COMPETE WITH NATIVE MOLLUSKS MANY OF WHICH (MUSSELS) ARE ALREADY IMPERILED FOOD WEB INCREASED LIGHT PENETRATION MEANS MORE WEEDS CLOG WATER INTAKES COLONIZATION ON NATIVE MUSSELS RECREATIONAL IMPACTS BIOACCUMULATION UNKNOWN IMPACTS????? ZEBRA MUSSEL AQUARIUM SNAILS CHINESE MYSTERY SNAIL GIANT AFRICAN LAND SNAIL 4

6 NEW ZEALAND MUDSNAIL INVASIVE FISH INVASIVE FISH IMPACTS OUTCOMPETE NATIVES PREY ON NATIVES REDUCED RECREATION IMPACT WATER QUALITY PROPERTY VALUE HURTING PEOPLE ASIAN CARP BIGHEAD CARP SILVER CARP BIGHEAD CARP DISTRIB. STRATEGY LIMIT RANGE GIVE EM THE BIG RIVERS BUT NOWHERE ELSE! BAIT MOVEMENT THREAT JUVENILES EASILY CONFUSED WITH SHAD WORKING ON NEW BAIT RULES 5

7 SNAKEHEADS NONE YET! ROUND GOBY GOBIES GOOD OR BAD GOBIES GOOD OR BAD POSITIVE ASPECTS Gobies eat zebra and quagga mussels Smallmouth bass love them Other bottom dwelling predators eat them also Gobies are easy to catch POSITIVE ASPECTS Gobies eat zebra and quagga mussels Smallmouth bass love them Other bottom dwelling predators eat them also Gobies are easy to catch NEGATIVE ASPECTS They will never keep up! Gobies love eggs of smallmouth and other fish Gobies are high in contaminants so levels in predators is magnified No one wants to catch them!!! AN OUNCE OF PREVENTION IF CAN T PREVENT THEN ALWAYS CHASING!!! PREVENTION IS CHEAP CONTROLS ARE EXPENSIVE FOCUS ON ALL VECTORS/PATHWAYS 1st PRIORITY KEEP OUT OF THE NATION, REGION, OR STATE 2nd PRIORITY KEEP FROM MOVING ONCE THEY REACH THE NATION, REGION, OR STATE EDUCATION PROMOTES PREVENTION 6

8 RECREATION PREVENTION WHAT YOU MUST DO REPORT TO ME IF YOU FIND AIS OUTSIDE OF KNOWN RANGE DON T BE A VECTOR FOR AIS SPREAD 4 SIMPLE PREVENTION STEPS EVERYONE SHOULD TAKE PREACH PREVENTION TO OTHERS QUESTIONS? DOUG KELLER 402 W. WASHINGTON ST, RM W273 INDIANAPOLIS, IN (317) dkeller@dnr.in.gov 7