zebra mussel veliger transport via recreational watercraft ... · zebra mussel veliger transport...

Zebra Mussel Veliger Transport via Recreational Watercraft and Residual

Water

MAISRC | Adam Doll – Graduate Student | [email protected]

Presentation Overview

Current need for study

Project overview

Similar and recent studies

Preliminary data analysis

Continuing research

Next Steps

Q&A


Current Needs for Study

Zebra mussels continue to be discovered in new Minnesota lakes and rivers

MN laws have been created to minimize the movement of aquatic invasive species (AIS) and water

Clean – Drain - Dispose


But what happens next?

Water may remain in a variety of places after all plugs have been pulled (MN law) Watercraft are not designed to drain 100% of the water they may contain

This residual water may be transported to new water bodies via recreational equipment, and is the focus of this study

Residual water can be found in all types of recreational watercraft

Zebra mussel larvae (veligers) are small organisms easily transported in water


Study Goals

Residual water is an unknown risk

Measure how much water is moved, where it’s located, and what is present

Determine if veligers can survive in residual water (and for how long)


Watercraft Types


Internal Compartments

Splash Well

Live well/bait well/wet storageBilge Area(underneath)


Bait Well Live Well

BilgeBallast Tanks

Internal Compartments


I/O Inboard

Outboard

Watercraft Engines

Jet


Cooling Systems (Inboard and I/O)


Project Overview

Collect samples at two zebra mussel infested MN water bodies Minnetonka (Hennepin County)

Gull (Crow Wing, Cass County)


Project Overview

Residual water is voluntarily collected from recreational watercraft leaving public water accesses


Project Overview

Water collected from I/O and inboard cooling systems with the help of Tonka Bay Marina


Project Overview

Water collected from ballast systems with the help of Tonka Bay Marina


Project Overview

Samples are collected, preserved in ethanol, and examined in the lab using cross polarized light microscopy

Photos: MN DNR


Similar and Recent Studies

Veliger presence in residual water – assessing this pathway risk for Minnesota watercraft (2016) Gary Montz and Jodene Hirsch

Volume and contents of residual water in recreational watercraft ballast systems (2016) Tim Campbell, Todd Verboomen, Gary Montz, Titus Seilheimer

Overland dispersal of aquatic invasive species: A risk assessment of transient recreational boating (2001) Ladd E. Johnson and James T. Carlton

Post-establishment spread in large-scale invasions: Dispersal mechanisms of the zebra mussel (1996) Ladd E. Johnson and James T. Carlton


Preliminary Data Summary


Continuing Research

Study will continue with data collection during the 2017 open water season (June-August)

Focused efforts on “difficult” areas to sample, or under represented categories Ballast tanks

Inboard and I/O engines

Personal watercraft

Test survival of veligers in residual water

Test veligers collected from engines for live/dead counts


Moving Forward

Watercraft re-design


Moving Forward

Working toward a better understanding of risk for varying watercraft


Moving Forward

Improved decontamination techniques


Acknowledgments


Questions?


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