Do zebra mussels promote blue-green algal blooms in oligotrophic lakes?
Wilson, Alan1, Raikow, David2, Sarnelle, Orlando1, Hamilton, Stephen2, 1 2 ABSTRACT- Anecdotal evidence suggests that the invasive bivalve, Dreissena polymorpha, may promote blue-green algal blooms in recently invaded North American lakes. For example, massive blooms of Microcystis aeruginosa were observed in Lake Erie and Saginaw Bay, Lake Huron, after zebra mussel establishment. However, direct experimental evidence of the effects of zebra mussels on blue-green biomass in nature is largely lacking. To examine the influence of zebra mussel density on phytoplankton abundance and species composition, we conducted a large-scale limnocorral experiment in an oligotrophic lake that has experienced Microcystis blooms since Dreissena establishment. Twelve large polyethylene enclosures (2.5m wide x 10m deep; volume = 40,000L) were stocked with zebra mussels at biomass densities ranging from 0 – 10 g dry tissue mass/m2 (11 treatments) and followed for four weeks. These densities bracketed our e
