Update on the Invasive Zebra Mussel
Zebra mussels attached to a native mussel in Lake Champlain, competing for water and food resources. Photo by Lauren Sopher, © Lake Champlain Committee.
First discovered in the southern part of Lake Champlain in 1993, zebra mussels are now found throughout the lake in shallow water areas. Juvenile and adult zebra mussels attach to any hard surface—including native freshwater mussels, the lake’s most imperiled taxa. The Lake Champlain Committee is working with Michael Lew-Smith of Arrowwood Environmental to document the impacts of the invasive zebra mussels on native mussel populations as a first step in the conservation strategy. Learn more about zebra mussel impacts from Michael and fellow biologist Mark Ferguson (Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department) in this Outdoor Radio episode on Vermont Public Radio (VPR). Click here for a link to the show.
