74 control the growth of other invasive populations.22 At the same time, their ability to outcompete other fish and survive in subprime water conditions makes them a huge threat to native populations. Trying to create balance between native and invasive species to optimize conditions in waterways is a difficult task, and again shows how humans have the ability to entirely change the ecology of a region. Zebra mussels are both ecologically and economically dangerous. They are able to reproduce extremely quickly and can outcompete other filter feeders, leading to the decline of native populations which has a ripple effect across the entire ecosystem.23 Beyond that, they are able to quickly attach themselves to man-made structures and are known to be a particular menace for drainage pipes. The Army Corp of Engineers has described them as the most troublesome biofouling organism in freshwater.24 They can ruin beaches, water turbines, boat engines, and can even encrust and kill other animals. All of this results in hundreds of millions of dollars in damages every year. 25 The introduction of Zebra Mussels, Round Goby, and Rusty Crayfish has caused enormous damage to the environment and ecosystems in the Fox River. Examining the role of individuals and broader political systems reveals how humans have altered the ecology and economy of the Fox River. 22 Rahmat Naddafi and Lars G. Rudstam, “Predation on Invasive Zebra Mussel, Dreissena Polymorpha, by Pumpkinseed Sunfish, Rusty Crayfish, and Round Goby,” Hydrobiologia 721, no. 1 (2013): pp. 107-115, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-013-1653-z. 23Shirley M. Baker and Daniel J. Hornbach, “Zebra Mussels (Dreissena Polymorpha) Attached to Native Mussels (Unionidae) or Inanimate Substrates: Comparison of Physiological Rates and Biochemical Composition,” The American Midland Naturalist 160, no. 1 (2008): pp. 20-28, https://doi.org/10.1674/0003-0031(2008)160[20:zmdpat]2.0.co;2. 24 “Zebra Mussels: A Dangerous Invader,” Zebra mussels: a dangerous invader - King County, accessed November 13, 2022, https://kingcounty.gov/services/environment/water-andland/lakes/facts/zebramussels.aspx#:~:text=Zebra%20mussels%20can%20render%20beaches,such%20as%20this%20 crayfish%20above. 25 Richard J. Blaustein, “A Plague of Rats and Rubbervines: The Growing Threat of Species Invasions,” Electronic Green Journal 1, no. 17 (January 2002), https://doi.org/10.5070/g311710487.
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