The Lake Huron Centre For Coastal Conservation
Advocating Wise Stewardship of Lake Huron's Coastal Ecosystems

Invasive Species

Invasive species are plant or animal species that have been introduced from another part of the world into our native, or endemic, ecosystem. Invasives are particularly aggressive species that can displace and overtake native populations, sometimes having a devastating effect on native ecosystems.

Scientists estimate that there are more than one hundred and seventy (170) non-indigenous fish, invertebrates, plants algae, protozoa and parasites that have entered the Great Lakes system, some of these responsible for some astounding changes to the Great Lakes ecosystem.

We have identified some key invasive species that are having a serious impact on Lake Huron's ecology. Understanding their effects on the ecosystem is important to recognizing how they are affecting the environment, and, where possible, making efforts to minimize their damaging affects.

Zebra Mussels
Zebra mussels originated in the Balkans, Poland, and the former Soviet Union Zebra mussels get their name from the striped pattern of their shells.  However, the pattern has been seen to vary greatly to where there are no stripes, only dark or light coloured shells. Zebra mussels can grow to a maximum length of about 50 mm (5-10 mm in the first year) and live four to five years.

Garlic Mustard
Garlic mustard is considered to be one of the most invasive exotic plants in Canada. It thrives in rich, moist upland forests and wooded stream-banks. It is shade tolerant, and readily invades deciduous woodlands, hedgerows, disturbed areas such as roadsides, trail edges and gardens.

 

Round Goby
The round goby (Neogobius melanstomus) is a small, bottom dwelling fish that was first found in the Great Lakes region in 1990. Originally from the Black and Caspian Sea areas of Eastern Europe, it is believed that this exotic species arrived in the ballast water of vessels coming into the Great Lakes.

Common Reed
(Phragmites australis), or Common Reed, is an invasive plant showing up on area beaches in recent years. Its rigorous growth has been crowding out native plant populations . The extensive growth is also raising concerns that the plant might be altering local dune ecosystems. Read more about this plant.


Links on Invasive Species

 



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The Lake Huron Centre for Coastal Conservation The Lake Huron Centre for Coastal Conservation
P.O. Box 178,
Blyth, Ontario, Canada
N0M 1H0
Phone: (519) 523-4478
Email: coastalcentre@lakehuron.on.ca