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6.6 Unit Challenge Resource: Invasive Species Fact Sheets

Dune Ecosystem

Invasive Species: baby’s breath (Gypsophila paniculata)

Baby’s breath is an invasive plant species found on dune habitats. It is believed that it escaped from gardens and made its way to dunes. Baby’s breath makes up 80% of all the plants growing on some Michigan dunes. Baby’s breath’s deep roots grow up to 9 feet deep. The deep roots prevent sand and soil from blowing around on the dune, a process called “stabilizing”. The problem with this is that many species of dune plants are adapted to living in environments that change often, like Pitcher’s thistle. Baby’s breath’s deep roots also mean that it is better at getting water and nutrients than native species like marram grass and wormwood. This is a problem for other plants like clustered orobanche which need beach wormwood as a host plant.

Baby’s breath is widespread, growing all along Lake Michigan dunes. Baby’s breath is removed by pulling it out and using targeted herbicides. These methods usually works to remove baby’s breath from dune ecosystems, but it is sometimes difficult to remove all baby’s breath. By stabilizing the sand dune, baby’s breath hurts populations of native dune species that require moving sand, especially Pitcher’s thistle. If nothing is done to control baby’s breath, Michigan dune ecosystems may change completely hurting all the native species that live there. Michigan dunes are important tourist destinations, but the losses in tourism caused by baby’s breath would likely be small.

Fun facts/questions to answer after reading about baby’s breath:

1) What parts of baby’s breath are poisonous? 2) Where is baby’s breath native? 3) Is baby’s breath an annual (plants only live one season) or perennial (plants live more

than one season)?

Copyright, Michigan Technological University 2017, all rights reserved.


Baby’s Breath (Gypsophila paniculata)

CriteriaMethod 1:

Prevent invasive getting into MI

Method 2: Contain the

invasive

Method 3: Eliminate the

invasive

Cost to implement

method0 3 1

Protects all native species

0 2 2

Economic impact

0 1 1

Likely to work 0 3 2

Quick to implement

0 3 2

Low Impact to humans

0 3 2

Management Information: Baby’s breath has been contained by digging it up and applying targeted herbicides. These methods also should work to eliminate the invasive, but it would take a much longer time and be more expensive. One danger of this management is that digging up baby’s breath may make it easier for other invasives to invade.



Lake Ecosystem

Invasive Species: Eurasian Watermilfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum)

Eurasian watermilfoil are an aquatic plant, which means they live in water. They like to live in lakes and ponds where the water is calm and 3 - 30 feet deep. Eurasian watermilfoil grows best in water that has a lot of nutrients. Eurasian watermilfoil are an invasive species that originally grew in Europe, Asia, and Northern Africa. It arrived to the US sometime between the late 1800’s and 1940. Eurasian watermilfoil competes with native aquatic plants for sunlight, and can reduce the native plant populations. Eurasian watermilfoil can serve as habitat for fish, but if there is too much Eurasian watermilfoil, it can cause a fish kill. A fish kill happens when decomposing plants use up all the oxygen in the water, causing fish to suffocate and die.

Eurasian watermilfoil is widespread in Michigan, as well as most of the Great Lakes region. Eurasian Watermilfoil, if left untreated, will take over a lake habitat making many native plants disappear, but other populations of organisms can often survive. It will likely be too expensive to fully remove all Eurasian watermilfoil from all Michigan lakes. For humans, Eurasian watermilfoil if a big nuisance because it clogs boat propellers, snags fishing lines and can get in the way of swimmers. Dead watermilfoil washes up on beaches, where it decomposes and stinks. People who own land on invaded lakes in Michigan spend about $20 million dollars every year to prevent the spread and remove Eurasian watermilfoil.

Fun facts/questions to answer after reading article about Eurasian Watermilfoil

1) How many pairs of leaflets are on Eurasian Watermilfoil? 2) How many pairs of leaflets are on native Watermilfoil? 3) What is one way to prevent Eurasian Watermilfoil from spreading?



Eurasian Watermilfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum)

CharacteristicMethod 1:



invasive


invasive

Cost to implement

method0 2 1


0 2 2

Economic impact

0 2 1


Quick to implement

0 3 1


0 3 1

Management Information: Eliminating large populations Eurasian watermilfoil involves using either herbicides or milfoil weevils. Neither of these methods work very well, and both hurt native plant populations.Containing Eurasian watermilfoil is often done by educating boaters. Cleaning boats and trailers after use helps to prevent them from accidently spreading Eurasian watermilfoil to new lakes.



Urban Forest

Invasive Species: Asian Longhorned Beetle (Anoplophora glabripennis)

Asian longhorn beetle are invasive species from China and Korea that have been found in North America forests. They probably arrived in North America in wooden packing material from China. They usually infest maple, elm, willow, white ash, and birch trees. Adult beetles eat the leaves and bark of a tree before laying eggs in the bark of the tree. Female beetles can lay up to 90 eggs during its lifetime. Once an egg hatches, it is called a larvae. The larvae digs through the bark of the tree, and eats a special layer of bark on the inside of tree called phloem. Once the larvae eats this special layer of bark, the tree can no longer move food from its leaves to its roots and will eventually die. In North America the beetles do not have any natural predators, which is part of how it is able to spread and damage trees so easily.

Asian longhorn beetles are not currently found in Michigan but are in nearby states and could be easily spread to Michigan forests. When the invasion is quickly identified, infected trees can be ground up killing the beetle. The city of Chicago was able to stop a small infestation this way. However,since there has not yet been a large outbreak in North America Scientists do not know for sure what might happen to the ecosystem if an outbreak were left untreated. Most think Asian longhorn beetle may kill many of the maple the trees in Michigan forests, changing the ecosystem and hurting many native populations. A severe outbreak across Michigan would likely cause billions of dollars in damage to Michigan’s forests.

Fun facts/questions to answer after reading about Asian Longhorn Beetle:

1) How long does it take for an infested tree to die? 2) What about the beetles overwintering in multiple life stages makes it worse?



Asian Longhorned Beetle (Anoplophora glabripennis)




invasive


invasive

Cost to implement

method3 2 1


3 1 1

Economic impact

3 2 1


Quick to implement

3 1 1


3 2 1

Management Information: In North America managers are working to educate citizens to stop moving firewood long distances. This helps prevent the spread Asian longhorn beetle and other invasives. Managers are also trying to teach citizens how to identify Asian longhorn beetle, so new invasions can be stopped before they spread uncontrollably. In China, pesticides and fungus have been used to reduce Asian longhorn beetle populations, but these methods do not work very well and likely impact other native species.



Wetland Ecosystem

Invasive species: Narrow-leaf cattail (Typha angustifolia)

Narrow-leaf cattail are an invasive wetland plant that grow near water and in wetland habitats. Narrow leaf cattail are native to Europe, but some scientists think there may have been small populations of the East Coast of the US. Their native habitats are salty wetlands where a river meets the ocean. In the early 1900’s narrowleaf cattail spread to freshwaters all over New York, eventually reaching the Great Lakes. Once these cattails enter a wetland habitat they outcompete native plants and create ecosystems that only have narrow-leaf cattails. Narrow-leaf cattails are less nutritious than the native cattail, but they grow much thicker. This can actually lead to more food for animals like beavers, muskrat and insects. Narrow-leaf cattail populations can be very hard to tell apart from native cattails. Narrow-leaf cattails can breed with native cattails creating what is called a hybrid. These hybrids can look like native cattails, but can sometimes grow larger and be even more invasive.

Wetlands all over Michigan are infested with narrow-leaf cattail. There are ways to remove narrow-leaf cattails but removing narrow-leaf cattails from the entire state is probably impossible. Removal would be very expensive and controversial due to the use of herbicides that may harm humans. Invasion by narrow-leaf cattail causes most native wetland plants to disappear. Narrow-leaf cattails can get in the way of lake views, and make it harder to access the water, but the overall economic damage due to narrow-leaf cattails is minor. These invasives may even be an economic benefit in some places because they can be eaten by humans, and may encourage more duck hunting.

Fun facts/questions to answer after reading about Narrow-leaf Cattail

1) When was the first narrow-leaf cattail recorded in Michigan? 2) How wide are the leaves on narrow-leaf cattails?



Narrow-leaf cattail (Typha angustifolia)




invasive


invasive

Cost to implement method

0 3 1


0 2 3

Economic impact 0 2 1


Quick to implement

0 2 1


0 3 1

Management Information: Narrow-leaf cattail populations can be removed from small areas using a mix of fires, herbicide and water level changes. Releasing a native moth that eats cattails or increasing muskrat populations would likely help control the invasive, but these methods have not been tested. Some states also have laws banning the transportation and planting of cattails to slow the spread of this invasive.



River Ecosystem

Invasive Species: Didymo Algae (Rock Snot) (Didymosphenia geminata)

Didymo or rock snot is a type of single celled algae called a “diatom”. Didymo is native to northern Europe, and Asia as well as parts North America, including parts of the Great Lakes region. Didymo needs cool water, and grows best with low levels of nutrients. Since Didymo is photosynthetic it does not need to eat, because it converts sunlight into food. Didymo spreads sticking to boats, fishing line, and waders. A single drop of water can contain enough Didymo to infest a new water body. Didymo can cause problems because when conditions are right it can cover the entire river bottom in a thick layer (up to 12 inches thick) This prevents other plants and algae from getting sunlight. A thick layer of Didymo also takes over important rock habitat that other organisms living in the river use like mayfly larvae and Northern clearwater crayfish. Because algae and insect larvae cannot survive, the population of fish such as brook trout living in rivers can decline. Even worse, this thick layer of rock snot can cover important breeding locations for brook trout. Rock Snot is found in small pockets in Michigan but there does not appear to be a way to remove it from Michigan river ecosystems. If unmanaged and allowed to spread, rock snot can harm many organisms and may cause the disappearance of many native species. The economic impact of rock snot could be in the millions of dollars because it can make river unpleasant to walk,fish, and canoe/kayak in.

Fun facts/questions to answer after reading about Rock Snot:

1) How many US states has didymo been found in?2) How long can didymo stay alive (viable)? 3) What old-fashioned soda bottle does a didymo cell look like?



Algae (Rock Snot) (Didymosphenia geminata)




invasive


invasive


0 3 1


0 1 1



Quick to implement

0 3 1


0 3 1

Management Information: Currently the best way to manage didymo is to reduce spreading to new rivers. People who are in rivers with didymo should remove all clumps from their clothing and leave them out in the sun to dry up and die before throwing the clumps in the trash. If you can it is important to wash clothing or gear in hot soapy water or bleach water to be sure that all didymo is killed.



White Pine Ecosystem

Invasive Species: Hemlock Woolly Adelgid (Adelges tsugae)

Hemlock woolly adelgid is a small invasive insect from Asia that was first discovered in the eastern U.S. in 1951. These insects attach to the base of hemlock needles and inserts a long flexible feeding tube called a stylet. The hemlock wooly adelgid wiggles its stylet in between the hemlock’s cells until it finds a cell used to store food. Once it has found the right type of cell, the adelgid uses its stylet to feed on the hemlock’s food reserves. Adelgids are easy to spot because they create protective layer over their bodies that looks like a tiny cotton ball on growing out of the hemlock needle. Hemlock woolly adelgid can kill a fully grown hemlock tree in as little as 4 years. In some forests 90% of hemlocks have been killed by the adelgid. This can hurt animals that need hemlock trees for survival. In the U.S. hemlock wooly adelgid does not have many natural predators. The adelgid is aggressive and is easily spread. In fact, the adelgid has reached about 50% of the forests containing hemlocks in the US.

Hemlock woolly adelgid is found in small pockets of Michigan, and if the invasion is quickly identified it can be easily stopped by treating infected trees with pesticides. However this method only works on small scales, it is too expensive to use on a large areas.While so far, small pockets of hemlock woolly adelgid have been identified and treated, if hemlock wooly adelgid established in Michigan, scientists worry it could cause most hemlocks to disappear. In fact scientists are already preparing for the disappearance of hemlock by stockpiling millions of seeds. These seeds can then be used to try and repopulate hemlock after they disappear from an area. The direct economic impacts of Hemlock woolly adelgid to humans is likely minor because hemlock is not an important species for loggers. However the loss of deer habitat created by hemlock could cause millions of dollars in damage if it leads to decreased numbers of deer hunters..

Fun facts/questions to answer after reading about hemlock woolly adelgid:

1) How large are Hemlock Woolly Adelgid?2) Do they harm other trees? 3) How do Hemlock Woolly Adelgid spread?



Hemlock Woolly Adelgid (Adelges tsugae)




invasive


invasive


0 2 2


0 2 3



Quick to implement

0 2 2


0 2 3

Management Information: Small infestations have been eradicated by using pesticides. However treatment is very expensive and would likely contaminate groundwater if used on large scales. Managers have tried to establish populations of hemlock wooly adelgid predators. However, they have yet to find a predator that can keep the adelgids in check.



Image Sources (Last Updated 07/10/2017)1) Photo by Avenue, distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0

Unported license: Baby’s breath (Gypsophila paniculata): https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Close-up_of_baby%27s_breath_(Gypsophila_paniculata)_flowers.jpg

2) Photo by Fungus Guy, distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license: Eurasian Watermilfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum): https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Eurasian_water_milfoil_(Hilton_Beach_Marina).jpg

3) Photo by U.S. Department of Agriculture: Asian Longhorned Beetle (Anoplophora glabripennis): https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Asian_longhorned_beetle.jpg

4) Photo by Le.Loup.Gris, distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license: Narrow-leaf cattail (Typha angustifolia): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Typha_angustifolia#/media/File:Typha_angustifolia_(habitus)_1.jpg

5) Photo by David Perez, distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license: Didymo Algae (Rock Snot) (Didymosphenia geminata): https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Didymosphenia_geminata_03_by-dpc.jpg

6) Photo by Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station Archive, Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 United States license: Hemlock Woolly Adelgid (Adelges tsugae): https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Adelges_tsugae_3225077.jpg


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