Spiny Water Flea Spreading
The spiny water flea, has made its way into another of Wisconsin's lakes, Stormy Lake in Vilas County makes the lake only the second inland body of water in the state known to harbor the invasive species.
Researchers found the invasive species while monitoring the lake for other types of zooplankton, the tiny aquatic animals that form the basis of lake food chains. Spiny water fleas prey heavily on native zooplankton and may disrupt lake ecosystems by competing with young fish for food. Although the small invasive crustaceans are also a type of zooplankton, their spines, which are barbed, make them poor prey for larval fish.
Like other aquatic invasive species, boaters who travel between infested and non-infested waters primarily spread spiny water fleas. The population now established in Stormy Lake probably started when boaters inadvertently transported water from an infested lake or reservoir.
September 5, 2007 7:21 AM | Category: Invasive Species