the invasion of the zebra mussels

The Invasion of the Zebra Mussels

Directions:1. Put a proper OMS heading on paper. The

title is, “Introduced Species.”

2. Use complete sentences to answer the numbered questions. The answers are in the slide show. Questions are presented before the answers, so pay attention!

3. Some questions require you to view a few slides before answering.

What is Ballast Water?Ballast water is fresh or saltwater held in the ballast tanks and cargo holds of ships.It is used to make ships heavier during a voyage when ships are: • not carrying cargo,• not carrying heavy enough cargo, or• when more stability is required due to rough seas.

1. Tell three reasons people use ballast water in ships.

Ballast water may also be used to add weight so that a ship sinks low enough in the water to pass under bridges and other structures.

 Photo of a tanker discharging                     

This tanker is discharging ballast water. Organisms living in the water are being added

to their new home.

                                                                                                                  This is the view into the entry hatch to a ballast tank on a ship that entered the Great Lakes during 2001. The mud on the bottom may

hold living things.

 The inside of a ballast tank of an ocean vessel has mud that was taken in with the ballast. Many tiny things living in the water can

survive in this mud.                                                                                                                   

This scientist is collecting mud from a ballast tank.

This is what a scientist with a microscope may find living in the mud of microscopic organisms

that were living in ballast tanks.

Even though these organisms are tiny, they can reproduce after they have been introduced, and

create BIG problems!

When ballast water is released in a new location, these organisms may also be released.

Why should we be concerned about Ballast Water?

Here’s how ballast water can add organisms to a new habitat:.

If a ship takes on ballast water in a shallow area, sediments and things living in it can be pumped into the ballast tanks.

2. How does the use of ballast introduce organisms into a new area?

This poster shows some of the problems with ballast water.

The release of ballast water may introduce non-native organisms into the port of discharge.These introduced species, or bioinvaders, are also referred to as exotic species, alien species and nonindigenous species.

3. Give five different terms that describe organisms that have been added into a new

ecosystem.

4. Describe the appearance of a zebra mussel. Use words and add a sketch.

5. What is your impression of the size of zebra mussels?

6. During which part of a zebra mussel’s life is it small enough to be invisible in ballast water?

This diagram shows the life cycle of the zebra mussel.

7. Give several reasons for the rapid spread of zebra mussels.

8. Describe how the spread of zebra mussels has changed since they were introduced. (Click here for a real-time data map showing current data.)

Slide #19

9. What is covering the beach in slide #19?

10. How can zebra mussels affect living organisms such as clams, lobsters, and turtles? (See next two

slides.)

See Question #10.

See question #10.

Zebra mussels are filter-feeders. They strain water for food. Many zebra mussels can make water “too clean” for fish by removing too much algae. This leaves the fish with nothing to eat, and disrupts the food web.

11. How can water be “too clean” for fish?

Zebra mussels have clogged up these pipes.

12. What would happen to the machinery that was being cooled by the clogged pipes?

http://www.aarkayassociate.com/industrial-machinery.html#automatic-cooling-bed

These machines use water in pipes to keep from over-heating.

13. What do you think of how far the zebra mussels have spread in this slide?

Zebra mussels on different surfaces

Slide #25The person in this photo is spraying scalding-hot water onto zebra mussels to kill and remove them from this pipe.

14. After the worker in slide #25

is finished for the day, will the

problem in this particular pipe be solved? Explain

your answer.

Zebra mussels cover this structure.

What can be done about this problem?

15. What is the best way to deal with the problem of bioinvaders?

• Stop them from invading in the first place.

• Eliminate organisms that have invaded.

Two basic approaches to dealing with bioinvaders:

Once an introduced species establishes a population, it is almost impossible to get rid of the species. Keeping established invaders from causing damage is very difficult and expensive. Stopping invasions before they occur is the more practical and economical solution in the long term.

16. Pick three of these links and describe the introduced species problems:

• Northern Snakehead Fish• Nutria• “Killer Bees”• Gypsy Moths• Kudzu

17. Research and list 4 invasive species in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed.

Bonus Opportunity

Bonus: Create a wanted poster about an introduced species. You may open the “Introduced Species Poster” document for instructions on this mini-project. Staple the poster to your Introduced Species paper for bonus points.

More to explore…

1. Log in to the JASON website.

2. Complete the reading assignment.

3. Complete a digital lab(game) with Mission 1 of Resilient Planet.