The system of locks and canals that allowed ships to bypass Niagara Falls suddenly created a path for invasive species. Tune in to this highway of info:
Locks have become a superhighway, both for ships and invasive species. (via Lauren K. Smith)
When locks and canals began allowing ocean-going vessels to by-pass Niagara Falls, they did more than open new trade routes to the west. Suddenly…
Campbell: “Things like sea lamprey and the alewives were able to swim around Niagara Falls and get into Lake Erie then the upper Great Lakes too.”
Tim Campbell of the University of Wisconsin Extension says other invasive species were carried in by ship…
Campbell: “Things like zebra mussels and spiny waterfleas, round gobies, a lot of the really big name invaders came in through ballast water.”
It’s easy for new species to hitch a ride on smaller boats too, and spread from one place to another. So to help slow them down, boaters should clean, drain, and dry their boats between waterways.
Hear More:
Listen to Tim Campbell talk about the best way to prevent aquatic invaders.
Get Schooled:
- Check out this invasive species slideshow prepared by Jeff Gunderson of the Minnesota Sea Grant College Program
- Learn more about invasive species in the Great Lakes from the UW Sea Grant
- Lock in your understanding of invasive species and the lock system with this factsheet from NY Sea Grant
The Fine Print:
- This segment was produced with Cornell’s Atkinson Center for a Sustainable Future, and supported by agreement with New York Sea Grant, funds provided by the Environmental Protection Fund under the authority of the New York Ocean and Great Lakes Ecosystem Conservation Act. Any opinions, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this broadcast are those of the originators and do not necessarily reflect the views of Stony Brook University or New York Sea Grant.
