Essay on Prevent Zebra Mussel Infestation: Best Option for Water Bodies

Once zebra mussels have infested in any water body, there are minimal activities that can be done to eliminate them. Therefore, prevention is the best option to ensure water bodies are not infested with mussels. They rely on water current to spread their population as they release their eggs on water (Strayer, 2009). Hence, they can only move downstream in rivers and requires a ride to move upstream. Human activities usually aid their widespread by moving water from one place to the other. The infected water transported by the boat, and inside the motor can also spread infestation when it goes to other clean lakes and rivers. To prevent this spread, boats should be cleaned thoroughly by draining all the water while leaving a lake or river. The ship needs to be kept outside the water for at least five days which is the longest time zebra mussel can survive outside the pool (Strayer, 2009).

Is your time best spent reading someone else’s essay? Get a 100% original essay FROM A CERTIFIED WRITER!

Save 25%

Since 1992, the St Croix National Scenic Riverway National Park service has spearheaded effort to prevent the spread of zebra mussels. It has done this through public information and education, monitoring, access management and research (Knoll, 2008). This effort has been caused by widespread of mussels all over St Croix River. Therefore more precautions need to be taken to prevent further infestation. Currently, zebra mussels are controls using several chemicals (Knoll, 2008). These chemicals include hydrogen peroxide which only discourages mussels' colonization but not preventing infestation. Chlorine is also used, which is the most effective and commonly used method, although it may contaminate water and affect other water species. And finally, ozone which is the safest method to control these animals. However, these chemicals must be applied continuously to prevent mussel colonization that may result in blockage.

References

Bowling, T. H. (2012). Assessing the viability of zebra and quagga mussels: legal and enforcement challenges. Ariz. J. Envtl. L. & Pol'y, 3, 125.

Knoll, L. B., Sarnelle, O., Hamilton, S. K., Kissman, C. E., Wilson, A. E., Rose, J. B., & Morgan, M. R. (2008). Invasive zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha) increase cyanobacterial toxin concentrations in low-nutrient lakes. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, 65(3), 448-455.

Strayer, D. L. (2009). Twenty years of zebra mussels: lessons from the mollusk that made headlines. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, 7(3), 135-141.