When it was opened in 1825 to join the Hudson River and Lake Erie, some naturalists — including New York Governor DeWitt Clinton — reportedly imagined the Erie Canal would expand fishing opportunities. Now naturalists understand it has spread the threat of invasive species.
"It's definitely a more modern concern, invasive species, because there is a long history of humans deliberately moving organisms around the world," Christine Keiner of the Rochester Institute of Technology told the Democrat & Chronicle.
The paper explained that over 60 non-native species found in the Great Lakes pose threats to the river system via the canal. The round goby, for instance, seems to have been transported by boat decades ago from its native waters in Europe and Asia all the way to North America. Now other species in the Hudson are at risk of losing out on crucial food sources as the goby gobbles down local mollusks, crustaceans, worms, and larvae.
The problem can flow the other way around too. The sea lamprey has taken up residence in Lake Ontario after traveling from the Atlantic Ocean. According to the Democrat & Chronicle, the parasitic "vampire fish" may be decimating populations of lake trout and salmon.
Invasive species can come in all sorts of forms. From plants to insects and animals, organisms introduced to a new area can have the ability to outcompete or wipe out native species there. By boxing out other species from food sources or otherwise overtaking their environment, whole ecosystems can be brought down.
Avoiding further spread of invasive species through the canal system could avoid more strenuous efforts to get rid of them. As one study recently showed, invasive species management has cost over a trillion dollars globally over 50 years.
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"They do sometimes have really negative effects that cost a lot of money, too," Keiner added.
Experts urge those frequenting the canal area to clean and drain kayaks and other water vessels to avoid transporting invasive organisms across the bodies of water.
Other areas have developed creative methods for dealing with the problem. In Texas, Mississippi, and Maryland, for example, officials have encouraged the public to — safely — put invasive species on the dinner menu. Some companies are finding success in this vein — one producer has taken invasive seaweed and turned it into a delicious snack.
To do your part in protecting the planet from invasive species, you can be sure to install only native plants in your yard and to properly remove any invasive greenery you are able to accurately identify.
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