Zebra mussel interaction with benthic macrophytes in a kettle lake.

Abstract

Due to the invasion of zebra mussles into Douglas Lake, Cheboygan County, Michigan, it was attempted to study what impact they are having on the ecosystem. This was attempted through the study of zebra mussel interaction with macrophytes. Two experiments were run. In the first, macrophytes were analyzed between areas of high and low zebra mussel presence to see if there were any differences. In the second experiment, macrophytes were sampled to see if there was a connection between what species zebra mussels attach to. It was found that there is a positive correlation between zebra mussel presence and macrophyte presence as well as zebra mussel presence and the amount of organic matter in a plot. There was also one species of macrophyte that zebra mussels were found growing on significantly more than others, Myriophyllum sibericum. Zebra mussels were also found growing more toward the bottom of macrophytes than toward the top, even growing in the roots.