Impacts of New Zealand Mudsnails on Southern Wisconsin Trout Streams
Abstract
"New Zealand mudsnails (Potamopyrgus antipodarum; NZMS) are a widespread invasive species with established populations on five continents. There are currently nine known populations in southern Wisconsin and they are predicted to become more widespread due to inadvertent transport by river users. Streams supporting NZMS include economically important trout fisheries, however the impacts to stream food webs in Wisconsin are unknown. We surveyed ten trout streams in southern Wisconsin, six of which were invaded by NZMS. Gastric lavages were performed on a subset of brook trout, brown trout, rainbow trout, and mottled sculpin captured at each site during spring, summer, and winter. Mudsnail densities ranged from around 200 to 55,000 per m2 and increased strongly at two sites over the survey period. Some native invertebrates were negatively associated with increasing NZMS density. NZMS were being consumed by trout and mottled sculpin at all sites where mudsnails were present.
Presenter: Kimberly Kuber, WI Department of Natural Resources and Colorado State University"
Permanent Link
http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1793/95310Type
Article
Description
"New Zealand mudsnails (Potamopyrgus antipodarum; NZMS) are a widespread invasive species with established populations on five continents. There are currently nine known populations in southern Wisconsin and they are predicted to become more widespread due to inadvertent transport by river users. Streams supporting NZMS include economically important trout fisheries, however the impacts to stream food webs in Wisconsin are unknown. We surveyed ten trout streams in southern Wisconsin, six of which were invaded by NZMS. Gastric lavages were performed on a subset of brook trout, brown trout, rainbow trout, and mottled sculpin captured at each site during spring, summer, and winter. Mudsnail densities ranged from around 200 to 55,000 per m2 and increased strongly at two sites over the survey period. Some native invertebrates were negatively associated with increasing NZMS density. NZMS were being consumed by trout and mottled sculpin at all sites where mudsnails were present.
Presenter: Kimberly Kuber, WI Department of Natural Resources and Colorado State University"