Quagga Mussels Threaten the World's Greatest Eco System

New research has revealed that quagga mussels have taken charge of circling phosphorus stored in North America's great lakes, thereby decreasing the level of phosphorus.

Unquestionably North America's lake is the largest connected water system in the world. In more than 30 years, the entirety of their biology has changed following the installation of intrusive populations of zebra and quagga mussels. This has resulted in a huge reduction in the multitude of native plants and animals.

Quagga Mussels vs Zebra Mussels

The quagga mussels have won the take-over and they are dominating and beating the zebra mussels. According to the report, there are almost more phosphorus in the tissue and shells of the quagga mussels than there in the entire great lake.

Lead author, Dr. Jiying Ling stated that the mussels have diverted the normal pathway phosphorus circles in the lake. The outcome of this is that the number of lives that can thrive in the lake is now controlled by the mussels.

The life and death of the mussels would spark fluctuations in the availability of phosphorus. And this causes an imbalance in the ecosystem and makes the life of other species difficult.

The three lakes are facing similar problems but that of lake Ontario is more likely to be solved more easily than the other two. The number of mussels present is different for each of them.

Lake Ontario can be redeemed by reducing the input of phosphorus. They are still yet to come up with solutions on how to deal with the other lakes.

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