When zebra mussels colonized Lake Erie, it began to recover
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Re: When zebra mussels colonized Lake Erie, it began to recover
#2I don't understand the title.
Re: When zebra mussels colonized Lake Erie, it began to recover
#3I don't understand the title.
It's a bit difficult to parse. Zebra mussels colonized the Lake Erie at a time when it was so polluted that it had been declare biologically dead. In particular this happened:
"Some of my readers may remember media stories from 1969, when the Cuyahoga River, which flows into Lake Erie, caught fire one hot summer day—yes, it had that much toxic waste in it."
Re: When zebra mussels colonized Lake Erie, it began to recover
#4I don't understand the title.
It's a bit difficult to parse. Zebra mussels colonized the Lake Erie at a time when it was so polluted that it had been declare biologically dead. In particular this happened: "Some of my readers may remember media stories from 1969, when the Cuyahoga River, which flows into Lake Erie, caught fire one hot summer day—yes, it had that much toxic waste in it."
Yes and yet humans hate zebra mussels and label them an invasive species because they are an economic menace screwing with pipes and ship hulls and costing billions of dollars of economic damage.
Re: When zebra mussels colonized Lake Erie, it began to recover
#5While I understand the point about zebra mussels cleaning up lake Erie, I can't agree with the idea that we should welcome all invasive species. After all, the presence of e.g. feral cats on various islands or foxes in Australia is just another one of the messes humans made, and we should feel as responsible for the damage they do as we feel responsible for pollution. Zebra mussels may be one of the few examples where an invasive species was actually good for the ecosystem, other invasive species just exterminate or squeeze out native species, leading to a loss of biodiversity.
Re: When zebra mussels colonized Lake Erie, it began to recover
#6While I understand the point about zebra mussels cleaning up lake Erie, I can't agree with the idea that we should welcome all invasive species. After all, the presence of e.g. feral cats on various islands or foxes in Australia is just another one of the messes humans made, and we should feel as responsible for the damage they do as we feel responsible for pollution. Zebra mussels may be one of the few examples wher…
I don't think that Greer is claiming that we should "welcome all invasive species" as much simply pointing out that Nature doesn't stand still. What we call an "invasive species" is, from a broader perspective, simply Nature adapting to changing circumstances, which includes opening up new habitat to previously unknown species. This only looks odd or threatening if we assume that Nature should be static and fixed, and that only humans can or should enact environmental change.
Re: When zebra mussels colonized Lake Erie, it began to recover
#7Earlier quoted context omitted.
It's a bit difficult to parse. Zebra mussels colonized the Lake Erie at a time when it was so polluted that it had been declare biologically dead. In particular this happened: "Some of my readers may remember media stories from 1969, when the Cuyahoga River, which flows into Lake Erie, caught fire one hot summer day—yes, it had that much toxic waste in it."
Yes and yet humans hate zebra mussels and label them an invasive species because they are an economic menace screwing with pipes and ship hulls and costing billions of dollars of economic damage.
What happens to a boat hull if you don't clear the mussels off? Do they actually damage it or does it just look unsightly?
Re: When zebra mussels colonized Lake Erie, it began to recover
#8I don't understand the title.
It's a bit difficult to parse. Zebra mussels colonized the Lake Erie at a time when it was so polluted that it had been declare biologically dead. In particular this happened: "Some of my readers may remember media stories from 1969, when the Cuyahoga River, which flows into Lake Erie, caught fire one hot summer day—yes, it had that much toxic waste in it."
Didn't the Cuyahoga catch fire a few times back then? …
I just checked, the Wikipedia article opens with a statement claiming it's caught fire thirteen times. To say that the Cuyahoga river was polluted is a pretty dramatic understatement.
Re: When zebra mussels colonized Lake Erie, it began to recover
#9Earlier quoted context omitted.
Yes and yet humans hate zebra mussels and label them an invasive species because they are an economic menace screwing with pipes and ship hulls and costing billions of dollars of economic damage.
What happens to a boat hull if you don't clear the mussels off? Do they actually damage it or does it just look unsightly?
Its not about the looks. It significantly decreases top speed and fuel efficiency. https://www.simarine.net/protection-ships-hulls-fouling-corr...:
”The fouling of the vessel is the main reason for the increase in the roughness of the part of the vessel below sea level and therefore the increase in hull frictional resistance as it moves through water. As a result fuel consumption increases and vessel speed decreases. The slime (bio film – silt) on the submerged part of the vessel is responsible for an increase in vessel drag of approximately 2%. Seaweed increases the vessel drag by 10% and mussels by up to 40%. Increase in drag will directly impact on enhanced fuel consumption and significantly increased harmful gas emissions.”
Re: When zebra mussels colonized Lake Erie, it began to recover
#10The gray format is insuferable