OHIO SEA GRANT AND STONE LABORATORY Aquatic Invasive Species of Concern Tory A. Gabriel Extension Program Leader & Fisheries Educator Ohio Sea Grant College Program 26 JANUARY 2018
What are Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS)? Any species that is non-native to the ecosystem under consideration and whose introduction causes or is likely to cause economic or environmental harm or harm to human health 2
Impacts of Invasive Species Severe, Irreversible Environmental Impacts 2nd leading cause of native species global biodiversity loss Alter food webs and habitats Costly Economic Impacts Worldwide Cost = $1.4 trillion U.S. = $138 billion Risk to Human Health Diseases, pesticides Cultural Aesthetics, recreation, heritage Invasive species are probably the single greatest threat in our country to our native wildlife. Sam Hamilton, former Director of the U.S. Fish &
How many AIS are in Ohio? According to USGS- Nonindigenous Aquatic Species database=154 Some missing, some debatable Some species are native to parts of Ohio, and invasive to others
Pathways of Introduction: How do they get here? Ballast water operations Biofouling of ship hulls Hitchhiking on recreational equipment Range expansion after barrier removal Release of unwanted pets and fishing bait Release or escape of classroom and laboratory animals Escape from aquaculture facilities, nurseries, or water gardens Intentionally stocked as food or recreational sources Released as biological control of an existing invader Introduced for habitat restoration or erosion control efforts Canadian Canal Society
Snapshot of OAA and OCAFS Members AIS Concerns Asked to list top five species of concern in their profession Responses from 4 resource/fisheries managers, 2 aquaculturists Represents a 66% response rate! Takeaways: Concerns vary both between the two groups and within the two groups OAA responses geared more to economic/expense concerns, health of population OCAFS responses geared more to habitat/ecological impacts Very few people can follow directions
Snapshot of OAA Members AIS Concerns Spiny Naiad- breaks off easily, clogs seines making harvest problematic Eurasian watermilfoil- can roll seines, interfering with harvest Curly leaf pondweed- interfere with harvest, upset nutrient balance of pond *Spiny/fishhook waterflea- any large zooplankton too big for larval fish to eat *Zebra mussels *Diploid grass carp-concern Ohio aquaculture/pond management companies will be blamed for wild reproduction *Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia- economic concerns if found, ramifications of false positives Heterosporosis-economic concerns due to required testing is some adjacent states Other Notes: Diseases are biggest concern, whether native or invasive All plants and algae can cause problems if too abundant
Snapshot of OCAFS Members AIS Concerns Common reed (Phragmites) (x2)- overwhelms native vegetation, does not provide ecological benefits of natives, and expensive to manage but necessary Reed canary grass- worse in swamp forest where ash trees lost and opened the canopy Golden algae Hydrilla (x2) invasive plant grows thick and interferes with operations European frogbit- alters habitat for fish, wetland organisms *Spiny/Fishhook waterfleas- found in diets of white bass and yellow perch- possibly impacting catch rates? *Zebra/quagga mussels- compete w/ native planktivores, physically alter spawning habitat and structure, alter phosphorus cycling and energy transfer Sea Lamprey- increased wounding rates=untreated spawning areas, impacts on Lake Trout restoration Snakeheads- top level predator to comptete w/ native fish Common carp/goldfish- much of wetland biomass, cause habitat/water quality issues Bighead/Silver carp (x3)- compete w/ native planktivores, lots of energy taken away from other species Black carp (x2)- molluskivore impact native mussels *Grass carp (x3)- impact on native submerged aquatic veg valued by native fish/wildlife *VHS- strains can morph, present in LE fish and can cause large die-offs during stress (like spawning) Other Notes: AIS are usually not as bad as anticipated, ecosystems are pretty naturally resistant/resilient. Humans and change they ve caused are at least as bad/pervasive/persistant
Snapshot of OAA and OCAFS Members AIS Concerns OAA 30% plants/algae 30% invertebrates 10% fish 30% diseases OCAFS 30% plants/algae 17% invertebrates 48% fish 4% diseases *Mentioned by both groups: *VHS *Grass Carp *Spiny/fishhook waterflea *Zebra mussel
My Personal invasives of concern
Tolerates low light and wide range of water temperatures Gets head start in spring and forms dense surface mats crowding out natives Can die off mid summer and create anoxic conditions Likely released from aquaria, has spread throughout U.S.
Feathery, submerged, extremely adaptable plant Similar to curly-leaf pondweed in forming dense stands and crowding out natives Can reproduce via fragmentation U.S. wide and first reported in 1940s, but may have been present in late 1800s
Resembles miniature water lily, prefers slow water areas like wetlands Form dense mats and decrease nutrients, oxygen, and light penetration Can reproduce via turions or fragmentation Likely introduced as ornamental species
Dense mats can clog waterways and recreational equipment Very tolerant of multiple conditions Reproduces vegetatively, but both dioecious and monoecious forms Likely introduced from aquaria, spread via recreation
Dense stands can crowd out native species, alter hydrology, susceptible to fire Can spread vegetatively Invasive strain from Europe outcompetes native strain Widespread throughout U.S.
Dense stands can dominate shorelines, eliminates habitat and replacing native plants Thought to be allelopathic, preventing growth of other plants Likely introduced via dry ballast
Forms large monotypic stands, crowds natives, little use to wildlife Invasive status debated, there is thought to be a native ecotype and invasive ecotype
Submerged macroalga, often mistaken for plant Tiny white star shaped bulbils distinctive, reproduce vegetatively Can form dense mats on bottom of waterbody, altering habitat Likely introduced via ballast water
Single celled microscopic organism Can produce toxins that kill aquatic animals Prefers brackish water Not yet in Ohio, but caused fish kill near Pennylvania-West Virginia border
Large cladocerans with long tails that prevent small/larval fish from feeding on them Outcompetes native zooplankton, competes directly with small fish for resources Clog recreation gear like fishing lines Likely introduced via ballast water, found in Ohio waters of Lake Erie
Fingernail sized freshwater mollusks attach to any hard surface, cost billions of dollars Filter feeds large amounts of plankton, altering and depleting bottom of food web First appeared in Great Lakes in late 1980s, since spread across U.S. Introduced via ballast water
Aggressive predator with voracious appetite Can survive out of water for periods of time in moist locations and breath air Introduced via aquarium trade and live fish markets No Ohio records yet
Primitive, jawless parasitic fish with eellike body Can destroy up to 40 pounds of fish during adult lifetime Contributed significantly to collapse of Lake Trout and other Great Lakes fish species, huge economic cost to control Introduced to Lake Erie
Large members of minnow family, omnivorous and have voracious appetite Destroy vegetation, habitat, and decrease water quality in wetland areas Common carp introduced for food and sport in 1880s, Goldfish introduced via aquarium and bait trade since 1600s
Asian carps Term encompasses 4 species Impacts vary by species Introductions to U.S. due to combinations of: Direct stockings by agencies Unauthorized stockings by private individuals Unintentional escapes from university, agency, and private aquaculture facilities
Filter feeders- can decimate bottom of food web Imported in early 70 s to attempt to improve water quality Likely escaped multiple times, leading to a large enough population to reproduce and spread up the Mississippi River, currently in the Ohio R.
Molluscivore Imported in 70 s, 80 s, and 90 s to control snails in ponds Not yet to Ohio
Eat weedy vegetation Imported in early 60 s for aquatic vegetation control Triploid popular for pond management throughout Ohio, but a diploid population has successfully spawned multiple times in Lake Erie tributary
What can be done to control Asian carps? Other 29
Heterosporosis http://neinvasives.com caused by parasite Heterosporis sutherlandae spores of parasite live inside muscle cells of host fish (including yellow perch and walleye), liquefies tissue. Appears freezer burnt transmitted through consumption of free-floating spores or infected fish established in Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Ontario https://www.maisrc.umn.edu
Can cause dieoffs among certain Ohio fish species Can cause lesions, pop eye, lethargy Cold water disease mutated and now strain in Lake Erie periodically causes dieoffs
What can you do? Remove mud, plants, fish, animals before moving equipment Eliminate water from equipment before transporting Clean & dry anything that contacted water (boats, trailers, equipment, waders, dogs, etc.) Never move any living thing from one body of water to another Other: high pressure/hot water/disinfectant rinse, let dry for five days, do not release bait, do not release pets, etc. 32
Coming soon
Take a Kid Fishing! QUESTIONS? Tory Gabriel Ohio Sea Grant Extension Ohio Sea Grant Extension is a partnership with academia, government, and the private sector. Ohio Sea Grant Extension uses research, education and extension outreach to focus on the economy, the environment and education.
Ballast Water Introductions Zebra Mussel Quagga Mussels Round Goby Fish Hook Water Flea 35
Barrier Removal Welland Canal Erie Canal Niagara Falls 36
Barrier Removal Introductions Sea Lamprey White Perch 37
Intentional Stocking To introduce a desired species Also includes the aquarium trade, release/escape of classroom and laboratory animals DON T Free Goldie! 38 Goldfish
Other Aquarium Trade Introductions Snakehead Hydrilla Eurasian Watermilfoil Curly Leaf Pondweed 39
Intentional Stocking Introductions Common Carp Purple Loosestrife Pacific Salmonids 40
Accidental Stocking AIS may be shipped with desired species Also includes Escape from aquaculture, nurseries, water gardens Dumping unused fishing bait Biofouling of ship hulls 41
Accidental Stocking Introductions White Perch The Outdoor Pressroom Bighead Carp 42