How have zebra mussels affected the Great Lakes ecosystem?

Since their introduction to the Great Lakes around 1986, zebra mussels have caused significant ecological and commercial disruption. These invasive mussels proliferate rapidly and adhere to nearly any surface in dense clusters, which can severely damage infrastructure such as water-intake valves, pipes, and bridge abutments.12

From an ecological perspective, zebra mussels have had a devastating impact on the native environment:

• Food Web Disruption: By voraciously consuming phytoplankton, they deplete the primary food source for many other aquatic organisms, effectively disrupting the food chain that supports various fish species.12
• Threat to Native Species: Their presence has driven many native mussel species toward extinction and negatively affected native fish populations.12
• Habitat Degradation: The invasion of zebra mussels is a primary factor contributing to the decline of several North American freshwater mussel species, which were already facing pressures from habitat degradation and damming.2