Status and Strategies for Established Aquatic Invasive Species in Michigan
Aquatic invasive species established in the environment continue to negatively impact Michigan’s waters and economy. The zebra and quagga mussel invasion of the Great Lakes basin serve as a primary example of the significant negative effects AIS can have on water quality and aquatic ecosystems in general. Goal IV of Michigan’s AIS State Management Plan is to “Manage and control AIS to minimize the harmful environmental, economic, and public health effects resulting from established populations;” however, management and control plans for established AIS in Michigan, are often lacking. In 2013, the DEQ's Water Resources Division (WRD) was awarded a United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) 205(j) grant to address this information gap. The following documents were developed by Central Michigan University and reviewed by Michigan Departments of Environmental Quality and Natural Resources for the purposes of:
- Summarizing the current level of understanding on the biology and ecology of key established AIS in Michigan.
- Summarizing current management options for established AIS in Michigan.
- Identifying possible future directions of AIS management in Michigan.
Species Status and Strategies
- Flowering Rush (Butomus umbellatus)
- Spiny water flea (Bythotrephes longimanus)
- Carolina Fanwort (Cabomba caroliniana)
- Fishhook water flea (Cercopagis pengoi)
- Asiatic clam (Corbicula fluminea)
- Grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella)
- Zebra and Quagga mussels (Dreissenid sp.)
- Glossy buckthorn (Frangula alnus)
- Eurasian ruffe (Gymnocephalus cernua)
- European Frogbit (Hydrocharis morsus ranae)
- Round goby (Neogobius melanostomus)
- Starry stonewort (Nitellopsis obtusa)
- Rusty crayfish (Orconectes rusticus)
- Curly leaf pondweed (Potamogeton crispus)
- New Zealand mud snail (Potamopyrgus antipodarum)