Question

Zebra mussels were first discovered in North America in the Great Lakes in 1988. This invasive species eats phytoplankton and other microscopic organisms in fresh water. What would be the most likely effect if zebra mussels are introduced into a local fresh water lake?

The ecosystem would benefit from the increased competition for food and increased diversity.
The ecosystem would be harmed as other phytoplankton-eating organisms would have less to eat.
The zebra mussels would only affect the lake if it already contained another species of mussels.
The zebra mussels would benefit the lake especially species higher up on the food chain.

Answer 1

Zebra mussels are small, fingernail-sized animals that attach to solid surfaces in water and they are considered as invasive species. So based on the given scenario above, the effect that would most likely happen if zebra mussels are introduced into a local fresh water lake is that, the ecosystem would be harmed as other phytoplankton-eating organisms would have less to eat. Hope this answer helps.

Answer 2

Correct answer: B). The ecosystem would be harmed as other phytoplankton-eating organisms would have less to eat.

The Zebra mussels are small animals that have a striped, D-shell composed of hinged valves joined together by a ligament. It is a problem as they filter water to eat the plankton. As they consume a lot of plankton, they create a competition for food along with the fish.

They are known to kill the freshwater mussels by attaching to the shells of species and killing them, they also out-compete for food with the native mussels species.