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Great Lakes Invasive Species Initiative

Biological invasions are the leading threat to the diversity of freshwater lakes world-wide and exceedingly costly to society. Most biological invasions occur as a consequence of human activities. There is an increasing need for techniques to analyze the risk that introduced species will establish viable populations and become a nuisance. Recognizing the importance of invasive species as a threat to other organisms and the Great Lakes ecosystem, EPA has developed a research prospectus describing a 3-year (2004-2007) program to assess the potential risks of invasive species in the Great Lakes.

The research, to be conducted by EPA's Office of Research and Development (ORD), is focused on:

  1. developing and implementing monitoring protocols using conventional and advanced monitoring techniques in high-risk areas of the Great Lakes;
  2. predicting the spread of invasive species that are likely to become established and reach nuisance levels; and
  3. predicting the potential impacts of these species on the Great Lakes ecosystem.

The components of this research are scientifically interactive. The results of this research will have multiple uses and will guide EPA's regional offices and the Great Lakes National Program Office (GLNPO). These studies may identify methods for preventing future invasions and in setting priorities for the management of established alien species so that appropriate response actions can be taken to reduce or ameliorate the impacts on the Great Lakes ecosystem. Decisions regarding the allocation of scarce resources for the control of established invasive species, including rapid response to emerging threats, will also be enabled by this research.

ORD presented ideas for this research initiative to GLNPO, other EPA regional representatives, and staff from the Office of Water in a meeting held in Chicago (Region 5) on October 26, 2004, which led to the formulation of the research prospectus. Three ORD Laboratories will participate in the program and will perform various functions, those include the National Center for Environmental Assessment (NCEA), National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory (NHEERL), and National Exposure Research Laboratory (NERL).

NHEERL responsibilities of the research prospectus include sampling design, field sampling/monitoring, laboratory analyses, and potential effects forecasting of invasive species using a mathematical modeling framework.

Publications

David H. Miller, Russell G. Kreis, Jr., Wei-Chuang Huang, and Xiangsheng Xia. 2006. Development of an Ecosystem Model for Investigation of Ecological Impacts of Aquatic Invasive Species in Lake Michigan. 14th International Conference on Aquatic Invasive Species (ICAIS), Key Biscayne, FL. May 14-19, 2006.

Miller, D.H., R.G. Kreis, Jr., W-C. Huang, and X. Xia. 2005. The LM-Eco Model: Development of an Ecosystem Model for Lake Michigan. Lake Michigan State of the Lake Conference, Green Bay, WI, November 2-3, 2005, p. 52 (Abstract)

Lee, H., II, R.G. Kreis, Jr., M. Tuchman, M. Slimak, R. Landy, M. Katz, J. Heisler, R. Jones, W. Holland, P. Christich, and J. Cabreza. 2003. The Millennium Challenge: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency=s Response to Invasive Species. 12th International Conference on Aquatic Invasive Species, Windsor, Ontario, June 9-12, 2003, p. 64 (Abstract).

Endicott, D., R.G. Kreis, Jr., L. Mackelburg, and D. Kandt. 1998. Modeling PCB Bioaccumulation by the Zebra Mussel (Dreissena polymorpha) in Saginaw Bay, Lake Huron. J. Great Lakes Res. 24(2): 411-426.

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