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Essay / Research Paper Abstract
This 7 page research paper describes the arrival of zebra mussels on the North American continent as well as some projected figures for their spread. The writer describes the biology of these small, inedible shell fish and then explains some of the negative effects they can have on aquatic systems. Since phytoplankton and detritus consumed by tiny animals called zooplankton which in turn are eaten by small fish and these small fish by larger fish, biologists seem concerned that zebra mussels' tendency to eat the same items could damage established food chains by removing needed energy from its bottom level. Bibliography lists 8 sources.
Page Count:
7 pages (~225 words per page)
File: D0_Zebramus.rtf
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Unformatted sample text from the term paper:
from the dark brown stripes on their light tannish shells. Zebra mussels reproduce quickly with mature females producing approximately 30,000 to 40,000 eggs per year (Walker, 1991). Fertilized
eggs develop into free-swimming larvae called veligers - a unique feature for a freshwater mussel. Veligers remain free-swimming for eight to ten days, and with tile aid of water currents,
they are known to spread rapidly throughout a lake or stream. At the end of the free-swimming stage, veligers reach the "settling stage" where they attach
themselves to virtually any available solid surface. During this first year, the mussels are capable of limited movement such as crawling along the bottom or releasing back into the current.
After the first year, adult mussels remain in place for the remainder of their lifespan. Zebra mussels can attach to each other and have been known to form colonies
with densities up to 100,000 mussels per square meter (Walker, 1991). II. Zebra Mussels Arrival on the Continent Zebra mussels are believed to
have been carried in the ballast water of European vessels which emptied this water into the Great Lakes system. They were first discovered in North America in June 1988
in Lake St Clair -- the connecting water between Lake Huron and Lake Erie. By late 1989, zebra mussels had spread west into Lake Michigan and east into
Lake Erie, Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River in western New York. Zebra mussels are just one of many exotic species that have found their way into our
waters via this route. Several other European organisms including the river ruffe (a small perch-like fish), two species of goby (small fish) and the spiny water flea have also
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