Browsing by Subject "invasive species"

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A Survey About Aquarium, Outdoor Pond, and Water Garden Issues: Results and Technical Report.
(Minnesota Center for Survey Research (MCSR), 2005) Minnesota Center for Survey Research
BMSB Fast Facts
(2014) Cira, Theresa; Hutchison, William
California Aquatic Nuisance Species and Boating Survey: Results and Technical Report.
(Minnesota Center for Survey Research (MCSR), 2001) Minnesota Center for Survey Research
Carver County Water Management Organization Aquatic Invasive Species Program Description and Evaluation Plan
(Resilient Communities Project (RCP), University of Minnesota, 2015) Errecaborde, Kaylee Myhre; Loots, Natalie; Mino, Rebecca; Villagra Mostaceros, Diego
This project was completed as part of the 2015-2016 Resilient Communities Project (rcp.umn.edu) partnership with Carver County. To combat the spread of aquatic invasive species (AIS), the Carver County Water Management Organization developed a program focused on inspection, monitoring, and education. The goal of this project was to develop evaluation approaches and methodologies that could be used to assess the success of the program. Carver County project lead Madeline Seveland collaborated with students in PA 5311: Program Evaluation to develop an evaluation plan, survey, focus group questions, and a program logic model. The students' final report, poster, and logic model are available.
Common buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica), European earthworms, and ecosystem management: Invasion and restoration in Minnesota’s deciduous forests
(2015-05) Roth, Alexander
Common buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica) and European earthworms are problematic invasive species in forests of the upper Midwest United States, and it is hypothesized that these two species may have a facilitative relationship. To better understand their invasion, it is necessary to understand how they interact with biotic and abiotic filters, as well as with each other. We established a greenhouse microcosm experiment to investigate the effects of important biotic and abiotic factors on buckthorn establishment and further explored the relationship between buckthorn and earthworms using a 24-plot field study. Using insights from our greenhouse results, we manipulated factors affecting plant colonization in a buckthorn removal experiment in order to improve buckthorn removal and ecosystem restoration efforts. Greenhouse results showed that the presence of earthworms increased buckthorn abundance and biomass across all light and leaf litter treatment levels, supporting the hypothesis that earthworms facilitate buckthorn invasion in upper Midwest forests. Results from the field study, conducted across a naturally-occurring gradient of buckthorn abundance, suggest that buckthorn, in turn, facilitates earthworms in this study system. Plots with higher buckthorn abundance had higher earthworm biomass, with linear regression, mixed model, and path analysis results supporting the directionality of the relationship. Together, these results lend support to a co-facilitative relationship between the two organisms. Co-facilitation my increase the success of both species and strengthen their negative impacts on native species and forest ecosystems. Finally, we tested three buckthorn removal methods (weed-wrenching, cut and paint, and basal bark herbicide application) chosen to differentially affect conditions controlling plant establishment. Removal plots differed in the subsequent cover and diversity of plant regeneration, with methods that disturbed soil and increased available light resulting in the highest species cover and diversity. Non-metric multidimensional scaling ordinations and indicator species analysis demonstrated that the resulting plant communities differed significantly in their species composition, with weed-wrench plots associated with more early-successional community assemblages. Ultimately, removal methods can differentially affect the regeneration of understory vegetation and affect future community succession. Understanding why and how a species invades can encourage a more scientific approach to invasive species management, potentially resulting in improved management outcomes.
Complete Data and Analysis for: Constraining invader dominance: Effects of repeated herbicidal management and environmental factors on curlyleaf pondweed dynamics in 50 Minnesota lakes
(2020-01-08) Verhoeven, Michael R; Larkin, Daniel J; Newman, Raymond M; michael.verhoeven.mrv@gmail.com; Verhoeven, Michael R; Minnesota Aquatic Invasive Species Research Center (MAISRC)
Curlyleaf pondweed (Potamogeton crispus) is one of the most widespread and widely managed aquatic invasive plants in North America. Despite decades of management, the efficacy of long-term management strategies and the effects of environmental drivers on curlyleaf pondweed populations remain uncertain. To evaluate the effects of management and environmental factors on within-lake distribution and local density of curlyleaf pondweed, we collated monitoring data from aquatic plant point-intercept surveys collected by a variety of lake managers across Minnesota, USA. The goal of the study was to examine the influence of herbicide treatment, water clarity, snow depth, and ice cover duration on curlyleaf pondweed distribution and density between 2006 and 2015. The data included in this repository includes the complete dataset as a comma-separated-value file and all Program R code necessary to replicate the data processing, analysis, and visualizations used in the study.
Complete Data and Analysis for: Niche models differentiate potential impacts of two aquatic invasive plant species on native macrophytes
(2021-01-22) Verhoeven, Michael R.; Glisson, Wesley J.; Larkin, Daniel J.; michael.verhoeven.mrv@gmail.com; Verhoeven, Michael R; Minnesota Aquatic Invasive Species Research Center (MAISRC)
The goal of our study was to elucidate the mechanisms by which two invasive aquatic plant species (Myriophyllum spicatum and Potamogeton crispus) interact with native plant communities in lakes in Minnesota, USA. We used an observational dataset of aquatic plant occurrences—and associated light availability, depth, and temperature—to construct probabilistic models of the ecological niches of 34 aquatic plant species. We then compared shared-ness of these niches between the two invasive aquatic plants and 32 native species to infer the degree of direct competitive interaction. This repository contains the complete dataset as a comma-separated-value file and Program R code necessary to replicate the data prep, exploration, analysis, and visualizations presented in the manuscript.
Complete Data for: Desiccation tolerance of the invasive alga starry stonewort (Nitellopsis obtusa) as an indicator of overland spread risk
(2021-10-13) Glisson, Wesley J.; Wagner, Carli K.; Verhoeven, Michael R.; Muthukrishnan, Ranjan; Contreras-Rangel, Rafael; Larkin, Daniel J.; wjglisson@gmail.com; Glisson, Wesley, J; Minnesota Aquatic Invasive Species Research Center (MAISRC)
The ability of invasive macrophytes to survive out of water, i.e., their desiccation tolerance, is an important indicator of capacity for spread to new waterbodies through overland transport. Invasion by the alga starry stonewort (Nitellopsis obtusa [Desv. in Loisel.] J. Groves; Characeae) in North America is likely driven via overland transport, but little is known regarding its ability to remain viable out of water. We conducted laboratory and outdoor experiments to evaluate desiccation tolerance of N. obtusa propagules, including single stem fragments, small and large clumps of fragments, and bulbils (asexual reproductive structures). Propagules were removed from water after 15 min to 5 d to identify desiccation thresholds. The data from these experiments are documented and available here for public availability and use.
Complete Data for: Laboratory evaluation of copper-based algaecides for control of the invasive macroalga starry stonewort (Nitellopsis obtusa)
(2022-05-23) Glisson, Wesley J; Contreras-Rangel, Rafael; Bishop, West M; Larkin, Daniel J; wjglisson@gmail.com; Glisson, Wesley J; Minnesota Aquatic Invasive Species Research Center (MAISRC)
Nitellopsis obtusa ([Desvaux] J. Groves [1919]; Characeae), known as starry stonewort, is an invasive macroalga in Laurentian Great Lakes states and provinces in North America. Because of its potential negative impacts on native ecosystems and recreation, N. obtusa has become a high-priority target for management. However, there is a critical lack of foundational information on the efficacy of different algaecides, and concentrations thereof, for N. obtusa control. Additionally, control of N. obtusa bulbils—asexual reproductive structures that are the main pathway for the establishment of new plants—has proven difficult. We tested the efficacy of six commonly used copper-based algaecides, at a series of copper concentrations up to the maximum labeled rate, on N. obtusa thalli (photosynthetic aboveground tissues) and bulbils in controlled laboratory experiments. Bulbils were placed above and below sediment in separate experiments to evaluate whether sediment acted as a barrier to treatment. The data from these experiments are provided and documented here.
Costs and Benefits of Extended Leaf Phenology in Invasive Shrubs
(2019-01) O'Connell, Erin
Many woody invasive plants in North America develop leaves earlier and retain leaves later than their native associates, which could result in greater carbon gain. However, freezing temperatures and low light levels at northern latitudes constrain growing season length, potentially reducing the importance of spring and fall carbon gain. To investigate the costs and benefits of extended leaf phenology, I observed two years of leaf phenology and for one year estimated total carbon gain, measured growth, and tested the freezing tolerance of four native and four invasive woody shrubs growing in Duluth, MN. I conducted my study in a disturbed forest with greater canopy openness than commonly studied late successional forests, in order to explore these traits in a habitat typical of invasive species. The invaders leafed out simultaneously with native species in the spring and demonstrated an equally high freezing tolerance, but retained their leaves later in the autumn. In addition, invasive species assimilated less carbon during the summer than the native species. Therefore, extended fall phenology in invaders was critical to maintaining competitive levels of carbon gain and did not provide an advantage over native species. These findings suggest that invasive species may be able to take advantage of lengthening growing seasons and that freezing temperatures do not currently limit their northern expansion. Continued research should consider geography and latitude when studying woody invasive species phenology and physiology.
Data and R code for analysis of mercury concentration and food web differences in walleye and yellow perch from Minnesota lakes with and without invasive zebra mussels, 2019 - 2021
(2023-02-24) Blinick, Naomi S; Ahrenstorff, Tyler D; Bethke, Bethany J; Fleishman, Abram B; Link, Denver; Nelson, Jenna KR; Rantala, Heidi M; Rude, Claire L; Hansen, Gretchen JA; nsblinick@gmail.com; Blinick, Naomi S; University of Minnesota Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, Conservation Biology; Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
This dataset contains δ13C and δ15N stable isotope data for 3,765 biological samples (fish, littoral macroinvertebrates, and zooplankton) collected from 21 lakes between 2019 and 2021, collaboratively by the University of Minnesota and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. In addition, 403 samples have corresponding mercury data, based on laboratory analyses conducted by USGS (Tate et al. 2022).
Data for Evaluation of a broadband sound projected from the gates of a navigation lock in the Mississippi River shows it to be a weak deterrent for common carp and unable to block passage
(2022-01-19) Riesgraf, Andrew T.; Finger, Jean S.; Zielinski, Daniel P.; Dennis III, Clark E.; Whitty, Jeff M.; Sorensen, Peter W.; soren003@umn.edu; Sorensen, Peter W.; Minnesota Aquatic Invasive Species Research Center (MAISRC)
There is an urgent need to block the passage of carp and other invasive fishes through navigational locks in large rivers. Although the broadband sound of an outboard motor has been shown to strongly repel three species of carp in laboratory flumes and to a lesser extent inside of a lock chamber, it has not yet been tested to see if it can stop carp from entering a lock. To test this possibility, we attached speakers to lock gates and played the sound of an outboard motor while measuring its efficacy by tracking free-ranging transplanted tagged common carp in its vicinity. Eight groups of 20 carp were tested while the sound system was turned on and off for 2 week periods. When the sound system was on, these carp spent approximately one-third less time in front of the gates than when it was off which when modeled by GLMM was shown to no greater than the effects of river discharge or temperature. Further, there was no indication that this sound blocked carp from entering and presumably passing through the lock. However, the number of times that tagged carp entered the lock was low even when the sound was off. A number of factors may have contributed to the limited efficacy of this deterrent system including the sound itself.
Data for Open water dreissenid mussel control projects: lessons learned from a retrospective analysis
(2022-08-15) Dahlberg, Angelique, D.; Waller, Diane, L.; Hammond, David; Lund, Keegan; Phelps, Nicholas B. D.; edge0023@umn.edu; Dahlberg, Angelique, D.; Minnesota Aquatic Invasive Species Research Center (MAISRC)
Dreissenid mussels are one of the most problematic aquatic invasive species (AIS) in North America, causing significant ecological and economic impacts in waterbodies where established. To date, dreissenid mussel control efforts in open water have included physical, biological, and chemical methods. The feasibility of successfully managing or even eradicating dreissenid mussels in lakes is relatively undocumented and unstudied in freshwater management literature. Additionally, control efforts are sometimes stymied by perceptions that the impacts to nontarget species will be unacceptable. The published literature evaluating both these two aspects is limited. Here, we present information on 33 open water dreissenid mussel control projects in 23 lakes across North America. Projects were categorized as rapid response eradication (n=16), established population eradication (n=8), suppression (n=3), or research (n=6).
Data for refining copper concentrations using the Biotic Ligand Model to maximize zebra mussel control while minimizing non-target effects
(2023-10-12) Dahlberg, Angelique D.; Waller, Diane L.; Severson, Todd J.; Barbour, Matthew T.; Meulemans, Matthew; Wise, Jeremy K.; Bajcz, Alex W.; Jankowski, Mark; Phelps, Nicholas B. D.; edge0023@umn.edu; Dahlberg, Angelique D.
Copper in various forms can be toxic to aquatic organisms at high concentrations and has been used as a pesticide in lake management since the early 1900s. Managers have recently extended this use to control aquatic invasive species, including zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha). Because copper toxicity changes with changing concentrations of water chemistry parameters (e.g., pH, temperature, and other cations such as Ca2+ and Mg2+), using the same copper concentration to target the same species in two different waterbodies could have different outcomes. However, past zebra mussel control projects have selected copper concentrations irrespective of water chemistry differences. We demonstrate, in a two-part study, how measuring water chemistry parameters and using the Biotic Ligand Model (BLM) can help predict a site-specific copper concentration that will kill zebra mussels while minimizing effects on non-target species. We first tested the application of the BLM for predicting the effects of a copper concentration on non-target species. We found that Daphnia magna (daphnia) had a 50% chance of survival at 9.50 µg Cu/L (i.e., the 50% lethal concentration, LC50), within our BLM-predicted range of 3.38-16.95 µg Cu/L LC50 values. Given the accuracy of our prediction, in the future, managers could make similar predictions and tailor copper concentrations to their management goals. Secondly, we measured zebra mussel larvae (veliger) mortality at added copper concentrations ranging from 0-191 µg Cu/L and assessed exposure–response using a logistic regression model that also included water chemistry parameters. This model can be applied to future projects; using it, managers can predict the amount of copper in a particular waterbody that will kill a predetermined proportion of zebra mussels and simultaneously predict what non-target effects to monitor or expect.
Data from: Development of an aggressive bark beetle on novel hosts: Implications for outbreaks in an invaded range
(2017-11-11) Rosenberger, Derek W; Venette, Robert C; Aukema, Brian H; dwrosenberger@olivet.edu; Rosenberger, Derek W
Mountain pine beetle (Dendroctonus ponderosae Hopkins) is an aggressive bark beetle native to western North America currently expanding its range east. Should it reach northeastern North American pine forests, it is unclear how novel pine hosts might affect traits related to reproduction and development. These data are the result of studies meant to determine how four novel pine hosts might impact mountain pine beetle reproduction and development, relative to two historical hosts.
Data from: Tests in a semi-natural environment suggest that bait and switch strategy could be used to control invasive Common Carp
(2020-07-10) Hundt, Peter J; Amberg, Jon; Sauey, Blake; Vacura, Kristen; Bajer, Przemyslaw G; hundt002@umn.edu; Hundt, Peter J; Minnesota Aquatic Invasive Species Research Center (MAISRC)
Common Carp (Cyprinus carpio Linnaeus, 1758), is a highly invasive species that has had profound effects on biodiversity and ecosystem services. Many Carp management methods have been applied including physical removal, pesticide treatments of whole lakes, and water drawdowns. Herein, we tested key elements of a potential “bait and switch” approach in which corn could be used to induce feeding aggregations of Carp and then switched for corn pellets with a pesticide Antimycin-A (ANT-A) to selectively target the Carp. First, laboratory experiments were used to determine if addition of lethal concentrations of ANT-A to corn pellets deterred Carp from eating corn-based food pellets. Second, a pond experiment tested if a corn-based bait containing ANT-A functioned as a species-specific Carp management tool in a semi-natural environment with three common native fishes: White Sucker (Catostomus commersonii Lacepède, 1803), Yellow Perch (Perca flavescens, Mitchill, 1814), and Bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus Rafinesque, 1819). The use of baited sites by Carp and native species was monitored using passive integrated transponder (PIT) tags. Mortality of each species and presence of corn in their digestive tracts was also monitored.
Ecological behavior of velvet longhorned beetle Trichoferus campestris (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae), including hosts and phenology
(2021-12) Haynes, Alexandra
Velvet longhorned beetle Trichoferus campestris (Faldermann) (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) is a longhorned beetle native to eastern Russia and Asia. It has established populations in countries far beyond its native range, including the United States, but its ecological impacts remain unclear. The biology and behavior of T. campestris, such as preferred hosts and seasonal phenology, have not been thoroughly studied. Trichoferus campestris is thought to be polyphagous and univoltine, with a peak flight period in mid-summer, but few if any studies exist on these topics. Knowledge of these characteristics can assist with effective strategies for monitoring and managing nonnative species. Here, we investigate hosts and phenology of T. campestris. We quantify ovipositional preferences and larval/developmental performance using choice and no-choice assays comparing the suitability of material harvested from different tree species of the upper midwestern United States: black walnut, Juglans nigra; the ‘Honeycrisp’ apple cultivar, Malus domestica; sugar maple, Acer saccharum; and eastern white pine, Pinus strobus. We study differences in oviposition between Malus domestica branches with vs. without cankers as well. We complement these laboratory studies with catch data from field trapping experiments, analyzing trends among traps hung in various genera of trees. Finally, we used trap catch numbers and local temperature data to elucidate the phenology of T. campestris in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, USA in the summers of 2019 and 2020.
Evaluating the ability of sound, an air curtain, and high-intensity light, both alone and together, to deter bighead and common carps
(2019-12) Dennis, Clark
There is an urgent need to develop deterrent systems to impede the spread of invasive silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix), bighead carp (H. nobilis) and common carp (Cyprinus carpio). Sound, light and air curtains have all been shown to deter carp; however, no study to date had systematically compared the responses of carp to each of these deterrents. The overarching goal of this dissertation was to determine whether and how sound, light and air might be used, either on their own or together, to impede the movement of invasive carps while having minimal effects on other fishes. Four laboratory and one field study were conducted. When tested in a dimly-lit laboratory flume, bighead and common carps were more deterred by a 20-2000 Hz cyclic sound than a broad-spectrum outboard-motor sound (10-10,000 Hz) (p < 0.05). Further, coupling these sounds with an air curtain enhanced their ability to block fish passage in the laboratory (> 97% blocked by the coupled cyclic sound and air curtain). A second laboratory experiment showed that lake sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens) and brown trout (Salmo trutta) were less deterred by the broad-spectrum outboard-motor sound than either bighead or common carps. However, none of these fishes were deterred by this sound when frequencies lower than 1000 Hz were removed. Another laboratory experiment showed that constantly-lit and strobing lights blocked 80% of bighead carp in a dimly-lit flume, while a constant light worked better than a strobing light in a well-lit background (80% and 33% blocked, respectively) (p < 0.05). Largemouth bass were similarly repelled by light in a dimly-lit flume, but attracted to the light in a well-lit environment. The last laboratory experiment examined the response of bighead carp to different combinations of light, sound and air curtains. Greater than 90% blockage for carp was observed when strobing light (but not constant light) was combined with sound and/or an air curtain. A final field study, conducted in a lock chamber, found that although adult common carp were initially deterred by the outboard-motor sound in the lock, they habituated after single exposure; whereas in the laboratory, habituation occurred only after three exposures. Several factors, including differences between sound fields observed in the laboratory and field, may have been responsible. Together, these experiments suggest broad-spectrum sounds are well suited to block carp, especially if they are coupled with an air curtain and strobing light. Field tests are needed to fully evaluate their potential.
Healthy forests to resist invasion: The role of resources, plant traits, and propagule pressure
(2015-04) Lodge, Alexandra
Invasive species are a global problem, dominating habitats, negatively impacting biodiversity, and changing ecosystem processes. There is no consensus regarding which nonnative species are likely to become invasive if introduced, nor which habitats are most susceptible to invasion. To investigate these questions, we studied the native and nonnative plants in 68 oak forest stands in Minnesota, USA. Nonnative plants possessed functional traits similar to those of some native species, suggesting that they exhibit similar growth strategies. These traits allow nonnatives and some natives to grow quickly in high resource environments. Among these same sites, we also examined whether there are characteristics of forests that make them more susceptible or resistant to a particularly pernicious invasive shrub, common buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica L.). We found that buckthorn presence was best predicted by high propagule availability and site light levels, while buckthorn was more abundant in sites with higher soil fertility, lower resident plant diversity, and less leaf litter. Timber harvesting also affected buckthorn abundance, with more buckthorn in sites that were clearcut or unharvested than in those that were selection harvested. Management practices that minimize increases in light levels and soil disturbance or maintain or increase resident plant diversity (e.g., reduce deer populations) may help uninvaded forests resist buckthorn invasion, especially if local propagule pressure is also reduced. Finally, we also investigated the below-ground effects of buckthorn by examining nutrient cycling across a natural gradient of buckthorn abundance along an invasion front. Buckthorn appears to increase soil nitrogen, organic carbon, calcium, and pH through deposition of nutrient-rich leaf litter. Increases in soil fertility may lead to increased forest productivity and potentially facilitate further spread of buckthorn or other invasive species that may be better able than natives to take advantage of abundant resources. Overall, both the traits of invasive plants and the characteristics of receiving systems can play key roles in determining the success of nonnative species and the potential impacts they may have on native ecosystems.
Host influence on the cold hardiness of the emerald ash borer, *Agrilus planipennis* Fairmaire (Coleoptera: Buprestidae)
(2014-12) Christianson, Lindsey
The emerald ash borer, Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire, is an invasive insect in North America that has caused extensive damage to ash trees throughout its invaded range. The range of Fraxinus spp., specifically black ash (Fraxinus nigra) extends farther north than the known A. planipennis distribution. The ability of an insect to withstand cold, or its cold hardiness, is important in limiting its northern distribution. The cold hardiness of A. planipennis from green ash and black ash was assessed using two laboratory measures, supercooling points and lower lethal temperature, in laboratory- and naturally-infested A. planipennis larvae. Supercooling points of A. planipennis larvae from black and green ash, with medians ranging from 25.5 to 32.6°C and 24.0 to 34.2°C respectively, were not significantly different during the winters of 2012-13 and 2013-14, although the laboratory infested larvae tested in November 2011 had significantly warmer supercooling points. Kaplan-Meier estimates of the likelihood of freezing of larvae from black ash and green ash were not significantly different between tree species or between years. A high proportion of larvae died after being frozen, but freezing did not kill all larvae. Lower lethal temperatures for 50% of the population (LT50) were estimated after accounting for the proportion of larvae that would survive freezing. LT50s of larvae from green ash were 35.2°C (95% CI 35.9°C, 34.7°C) in the winter of 2012-13 and 33.4°C ( 34.1°C, 32.1°C) in the winter of 2013-14. Larvae from black ash had estimated lower lethal temperatures of 33.4°C ( 34.4°C, 32.3°C) in 2012-13 and 33.1°C (≤ 37.5°C, 35.5°C) in 2013-14. Agrilus planipennis larvae overwinter under the bark of ash trees, so larvae may not be experiencing winter air temperatures. To determine temperatures under the bark of ash trees, temperature probes were placed under the bark of both green and black ash at 1.4m high and at the base of the tree on the north and south faces. Weather stations recorded air temperature. Daily minimum temperatures under the bark of green ash ranged from 0.5 to 4.7°C warmer than daily minimum air temperatures, and temperatures were 1.2 to 5 degrees warmer under the bark of black ash. Temperatures at the base of the trees provided the most insulation, possibly due to any snow cover adding to the insulative effect of the bark. During the time in which we took measurements, the air temperature fell below 30°C for an average of 16 hours during the winter of 2012-13. Temperatures under the bark of green ash did not reach -30°C, and temperatures under the bark of black ash fell below -30°C, on average, for 2.6 hours. In 2013-14, air temperature was 30°C or colder for an average of 146.1 hours, 78.1 hours under the bark of green ash, and 118.7 hours under the bark of black ash. Because of the differences in air temperatures and temperatures under the bark of trees, we cannot use air temperature to directly predict A. planipennis mortality. Because under-bark temperatures do not reach the temperature required to kill 50% of the population of A. planipennis every year, further research should consider how the larvae survive sublethal temperatures for longer periods of time.

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