Invasive Species in the Fox River Shanan Riley For decades the ecology of the Fox River has been greatly affected by the introduction of several invasive species. These species include but are not limited to Zebra Mussels, Rusty Crayfish, and Round Gobies. Each of these species have had a unique impact on the Fox, overrunning native populations leading to widespread conservation efforts championed by both state governments and community organizations. While the introduction of each was unintentional, understanding how they found their way into the Fox River and how their populations have changed the ecology of the river is essential to understanding the impact of humans on the greater bioregion. By closely examining the role of invasive species in the Fox River, the role of humans in the alteration of the bioregion can be better understood. To facilitate an understanding of these species in the Fox River, an overview of their role in their native environment is necessary. Zebra mussels are native to the Caspian and Black Seas in Ukraine and Southern Russia.1 Here, they grow in relatively small quantities and help to increase the overall biodiversity of their ecosystems by filtering water, allowing for the growth of plant species. Beyond that, they are largely inconsequential to human life and serve little economic purpose/cause little economic determent. Rusty Crayfish has a native range much closer to Fox River, in the Ohio River Basin spanning northward to Lake Erie. In these native ranges, the crayfish’s main role is to control the overgrowth of plant species which allows for the growth of a broader range of species. Additionally, they can eat virtually anything including sediment, which makes them useful for 1 Małgorzata Ożgo et al., “Invasive Zebra Mussel (Dreissena Polymorpha) Threatens an Exceptionally Large Population of the Depressed River Mussel (Pseudanodonta Complanata) in a Postglacial Lake,” Ecology and Evolution 10, no. 11 (December 2020): pp. 4918-4927, https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.6243.
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