In brief

June 29, 2009 by The Rebel Yell 

Quagga quandry

David Wong, a visiting researcher and assistant professor of environmental and occupational health, is one member of a group of scientists attempting to determine how quickly the quagga mussel grows in Lake Mead as well as its impact on its environment.

The mussels, which tend to grow in warmer and calcium-rich waters, are an invasive species that can harm to the pipes, boats and other equipment in the Lake Mead area.

“In a large ecosystem like Lake Mead, it’s impossible to fully eradicate quagga mussels,” said Wong. “Strategically monitoring quagga mussels, however, will help us identify how they behave given the lake’s unique temperature, food sources and existing biodiversity.

“We can then develop appropriate ways to minimize their substantial environmental and monetary impact.”

The species’ first appearance in the western United States was inside the Boulder Basin in 2007. Since then, the number of mussels in the area has grown to approximately 3 trillion. The species have also spread to lakes Havasu and Mohave.