Algae could provide weapon against invader mussels

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DETROIT (AP) — Scientists at Wayne State University are
researching how algae might help disrupt reproduction of zebra and
quagga mussels in the Great Lakes.
Biologist Donna Kashian says
preliminary study indicates algae produce chemicals that may inhibit the
invasive mussels’ spawning. She and physiologist Jeffrey Ram are trying
to identify chemical cues the algae release and determine how they
could be used to develop a control strategy.
It would be a cleaner alternative to attacking the mussels with toxic chemicals.
The
research eventually might help curb the destructive mussels, which have
caused widespread damage to the lakes since arriving in the 1980s in
ballast tanks of oceangoing ships.
The filter feeders deprive fish of food, crowd out native mussels and clog water intake pipes.
___
Online:
Kashion’s bio: http://bit.ly/1gTfHO2
Ram’s bio: http://bit.ly/OPgLwx
Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights
reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or
redistributed.
DETROIT (AP) — Scientists at Wayne State University are
researching how algae might help disrupt reproduction of zebra and
quagga mussels in the Great Lakes.
Biologist Donna Kashian says
preliminary study indicates algae produce chemicals that may inhibit the
invasive mussels’ spawning. She and physiologist Jeffrey Ram are trying
to identify chemical cues the algae release and determine how they
could be used to develop a control strategy.
It would be a cleaner alternative to attacking the mussels with toxic chemicals.
The
research eventually might help curb the destructive mussels, which have
caused widespread damage to the lakes since arriving in the 1980s in
ballast tanks of oceangoing ships.
The filter feeders deprive fish of food, crowd out native mussels and clog water intake pipes.
___
Online:
Kashion’s bio: http://bit.ly/1gTfHO2
Ram’s bio: http://bit.ly/OPgLwx
Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights
reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or
redistributed.

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