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Dreissena transport from the St. Louis River to Apostle Islands detected in eDNA and zooplankton surveys
Citation:
Larson, C., J. Barge, A. Trebitz, C. Hatzenbuhler, J. Hoffman, E. Pilgrim, G. Peterson, S. Okum, AND B. Wiechman. Dreissena transport from the St. Louis River to Apostle Islands detected in eDNA and zooplankton surveys. International Association of Great Lakes Research (IAGLR) Virtual Conference, Duluth, MN, May 17 - 21, 2021. https://doi.org/10.23645/epacomptox.16619671
Impact/Purpose:
The early-detection monitoring work described in this presentation was motivated by a request for help from the National Park Service (NPS) in understanding the distribution and potential impacts of Dreissenid (zebra and quagga) mussels in waters surrounding the Apostle Island National Lakeshore. This work was conducted under SSWR research area 3.01A-2.1, and builds on previous EPA/ORD case studies concerning early-detection monitoring strategies. Outcomes from this research will include development of more refined and robust sampling strategies for non-native species in different coastal systems across the Great Lakes, and advancement of DNA-based tools for conducting such monitoring.
Description:
Lake Superior is generally inhospitable to the establishment of invasive Dreissena; yet colonies are reported in the Saint Louis River estuary (SLRE) and Apostle Islands National Lakeshore (APIS). A 2017 survey determined low abundance Dreissena spatial distribution in APIS, which suggested veliger transport from SLRE (most established population in Lake Superior) via summer currents. Our objective in this study was to determine if Dreissena veligers are transported from SLRE to APIS by sampling the presumed longshore transport. To do so, we used both eDNA (water and mesh banner samples) and zooplankton collection methods. Dreissena veligers were consistently detected along the south shore, although at low abundances, and for every 1 km increase in distance from the SLRE, individuals and eDNA copies/uL decreased on average by 5% and 7%, respectively. D. polymorpha (suited to estuary habitat) was detected 2 times more than D. bugensis. Findings represent multiple sources of evidence of a propagule “conveyor belt” for Dreissena along the south shore of Lake Superior, with implications for further invasion across habitat previously reported as inhospitable.
URLs/Downloads:
DOI: Dreissena transport from the St. Louis River to Apostle Islands detected in eDNA and zooplankton surveys
LARSON_TREBITZ-POSTER.PDF (PDF, NA pp, 505.76 KB, about PDF)