Why should we care about the zebra mussel?
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USGS Frequently Asked Questions
Question:
Why should we care about the zebra mussel?
Answer:
Many invasive species share common characteristics that make them very adaptable to a new environment. The zebra mussel has the potential to inhabit most of the fresh waters of the U.S. and may impact a variety of native aquatic species and eventually entire ecosystems. They also have had a large economic impact already. Many power plants and water users have had to spend millions of dollars cleaning out zebra mussels from their facilities. In addition, more money has been spent on retrofitting facilities with devices to keep zebra mussels out and to monitor for them. These costs get passed along to the consumers.
