Higgins Eye Pearlymussel Invasive Species

“An invasive species can be any living organism—an amphibian, plant, insect, fish, fungus, bacteria, even a species’ eggs—which is not native to a certain ecosystem and causes harm.” @NWF. Invasive species are becoming a bigger and bigger problem, mainly because they reproduce extremely fast and can inflict great damage on an ecosystem. Invasive species are sometimes introduced to an area through migration or the actions of other organisms, but the main way invasive species spread is through human activities such as on being transported on ships, in wood products, ornamental plants, and through pet trade. Although it is still being researched, some believe that invasive species can actually have some benefit to humans such as the zebra mussel …show more content…
A species that is now endangered because of invasive species is the Higgins Eye Pearlymussel. “The main role of the Higgins Eye Pearlymussel in its aquatic ecosystem is that it filters water to raise the quality of the water. Also, their beds make microhabitats on the bottom of rivers for other species to use.” (US Fish and Wildlife Service). Along with having their habitat wrecked due to poor water quality, from human actions such as industrial runoff, the Higgins Eye Pearlymussel is threatened by the zebra mussel. The zebra mussel was placed into Lake Erie during the 1980’s from ship ballast discharge even though they are usually found in the Black and Caspian Seas only. Zebra mussels are a problem to Higgins Eye Pearlymussels because they attach to the shells which prevents travel, burrowing, and opening and closing the shell. Since the Higgins Eye Pearlymussel is having trouble in daily living, water quality has gotten worse. Humans are however taking precautions to preserve the mussels. The Higgins Eye Pearlymussel was added to the U.S. List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants. Also, people are researching the effects of the loss of the Higgins Eye Pearlymussel, and conservation agencies are working to preserve the habitats. Although the exact time period is not known, if humans were not taking steps to preserve the Higgins Eye Pearlymussel, the species would probably go …show more content…
One of the most common ways invasive species are transported to new areas is through human action, such as on ships, in wood, and smuggling animals into a new place. So, the first step I would take in solving this issue is having inspection crews checking ships and wood shipments for any visible organisms that were accidentally brought along. This would not completely eliminate species from invading new environments, but would certainly help reduce the effects of invasive species. Also, creating inspection crews for ports and other companies would create jobs which would benefit humans. The next phase of my plan would be to gather a large group of scientists at a convention to explain to all of them that they will need to research non native species that are in ecosystems near them, and then either think of a plan to hunt and remove the species, or create an ecological solution that would naturally drive out the invasive species from the area. This part of the plan could be costly and time consuming, but ultimately if it is executed properly it would greatly reduce the effects of invasive species. There are a few positive and negative effects of this plan though. Some positive effects of this plan would be that it creates jobs, and it will help lessen the amount of invasive species that enter and are already in an area. Some