The Great Lakes are one of the largest collections of freshwater in the world. The economies of the Great Lake States and the Canadian province of Ontario are deeply rooted in the present condition of the Great Lakes.
The Great Lakes are an Aquatic Ecosystem Threatened by Asian Carp
The Great Lakes are an important part of the recreation and food industries. Some local restaurants serve fresh whitefish and salmon from Lake Superior, while Lakes Huron and Michigan are popular for their sandy beaches in the heat of summer. Sailboat races are part of the summertime fun on the Great Lakes as are motor boating, jet skiing, and fishing.
Great Lake-related business and recreation brings in billions of revenue dollars for the bordering states and Ontario, but this financial perk is threatened by the possibility of an invasive species: the Asian carp. In fact, in an effort to protect current fish populations from diminishing and boaters from fish that fly out of the water, a lawsuit has been filed against the State of Illinois to force the closure of the Chicago Area Waterways to Lake Michigan to prevent the migration of Asian Carp into this aquatic ecosystem.
What is an Ecosystem?
An ecosystem is comprised of the organisms and the environment in which they live. There is a system of checks and balances within an ecosystem. The Franklin Institute Resources for Science Learning article, "Living Things: Habitats & Ecosystems," explains that there is a system of conservation in each ecosystem and disruption to that system can permanently change that ecosystem. "If conservation efforts fail, species become endangered and extinction can occur. A species becomes endangered when there is not enough habitat available to support all members of the population. When the habitat vanishes, and all members of the population die, then the species is considered extinct."
Introduced Species May Cause Problems within an Ecosystem
The introduction of a new species threatens the balance of a new ecosystem. For example, the introduction of Asian Carp into rivers has caused the decline of other aquatic animal populations because the carp have dominated the food supply. According to the December 4, 2009 Reuters article, "Chicago river poisoned to block feared Asian carp," Andrew Stern reports that the Asian Carp make up as much as 95% of the biomass in some parts of the Illinois River.
It is difficult to determine the outcome when an invasive species moves into an ecosystem. Local environmental organizations often deal with invasive species by introducing the appropriate predator into the environment. Sometimes, those predators become a dominant invasive species. In some cases, balance is restored.
Controlling Invasive Species
Some organizations have successfully introduced predators to regain control of the invasive species while causing no additional harm to the environment. According to the Nova article, "A plague on the pest—rabbit calicivirus disease and biological control: The history of myxoma virus in Australia," published by the Australian Academy of Science in February 1997, "Wild rabbits were introduced into Australia in 1859, and by the 1880s they had become a major pest…in spite of the devastation rabbits were causing to farming land, Australian authorities were reluctant to damage the thriving rabbit meat and fur industries."
After many years of research and debate, the myxoma virus was finally introduced into the rabbit population in 1950. The virus spread throughout the rabbit population and had "drastically reduced" the rabbit population within three years. Over time, the rabbits and virus had coevolved. The rabbits developed a better resistance to the virus, and the myxoma virus developed reduced virulence. As a result, the rabbit population remains, but is controlled.
The Asian Carp in the Illinois River and the rabbits in Australia are both examples of how an invasive species can wreak havoc on an ecosystem. The outcome of the rabbits with the introduction of the myxoma virus demonstrate that some invasive species can be controlled, but this not always the case.
Diane Ursu - Diane Ursu joined Suite101 as a contributing writer in August 2009 and became a Feature Writer in January 2010. She is a freelance writer ...
