INTERNET JOURNEY

Zebra Mussels
Use the information below to explore web sites and find answers to important questions about Zebra Mussels and the interests and concerns they have created in the Great Lakes and other waterways of the United States.

This activity was developed by Sally Bashore and Merri Biggs, 1997, and: prepared for the internet by Jae-Young Lee.

Click left images for information sources to answers questions below.

	1. What is the scientific name for Zebra Mussels? 2. How big is a Zebra Mussel? 3. In what part of the world are Zebra Mussels a native organism? 4. How did they get into the Great Lakes? 5. When were they first discovered in the Great Lakes?
	6. Look at the 1988 U.S. Distribution Map. How many states were affected by the Zebra Mussels then? 7. Now look at the most recent U.S. Distribution Map. How many states are affected?
	How have Zebra Mussels impacted ecological relationships? 8. Zebra Mussels are filter feeders. How much water can one adult Zebra Mussel filter a day? 9. Zebra Mussels have increased Lake Erie's water clarity up to 600%. This is nice for humans who swim in the lake, but what has this done to the phytoplankton, the basis of the lake's food web?
	10. If the Zebra mussels significantly reduce the lake's plankton, how many other organisms can be affected?
	11. What are most recent issues on Zebra Mussels and their impacts on an aquatic ecosystem?
	12. List six ways of controlling the spread of Zebra Mussels. What is NISA?

Now try an internet search using the keywords Zebra-Mussel to explore other internet sites. If you want to learn about other Great Lakes invaders, visit here Return to Sample Activities / Return to ESE Home

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