Northwestern Vermont Geoscience Tour
Lake Champlain Basin Invasive Species
Tour
This tour can be enhanced by using a kayak or canoe at the locations we will visit. Kayaks or canoes and the associated gear can be rented from Eastern Mountain Sports (EMS) at 100 Dorset Street South Burlington Vermont (802) 864-0473 for $40.00 per day. You can find this store by driving East from the ECHO Center on Main street about 3 miles then turn right at the large sign for Dorset Street. EMS one of the first group of busineses on the left at the first traffic light on this Street. Alternately you can walk along the shoreline at most of the locations we will visit but using a kayak today is the preferred mode of travel.
Water Chestnut Purple Loosestrife Eurasian Milfoil
Leslie J. Mehrhoff, University of Connecticut John D. Byrd, Mississippi State University Alison Fox, University of Florida
Overview of invasive species in Vermont.
Invasive species are not a new problem but more a problem of which we are now acutely aware. It is important to understand that some species of organisms can drastically change the balance in natural communities even though they may appear to be a relatively benign addition to local environments. It is also important to understand the human responsibility for the ever-widening problem of invasive and introduced species. Geographic isolation of species is something we have learned about in the study of environmental geoscience and the movement of continents over time has isolated or introduced species to a new area as a natural method of redistribution of species that changes the balance of communities. Consider the numerous species of marsupials in Australia, the migration of camels and early horses from the western USA and our own adaptations as a species to new environments as we migrated according to the "out of Africa" model of human dispersal to the far reaches of the planet. The difference with the current situation with invasive or indroduced species is the anthropogenic factor which accelerates the change in community makeup to the point where natural controls necessary to rebalance the species makeup of the community quite often cannot keep pace. Our ability to travel globally with speed makes it easy for species to move with the same speed if care is not taken to block their movement. Intentional or not we are responsible for some classic examples of ecosystem changing species introductions such as rabbits to Australia, Kudzu Vines to the southern USA, and Pigs to Hawai'i. Vermont has a large population of invasive species that in some instances such as Zebra Mussels and Sea Lampreys have caused dramatic ecosystem changes in a span of only 10-20 years with no viable control solutions in sight.
Zebra Mussels Sea Lamprey Didymo
www.ec.gc.ca/.../issues/35/feature3_e.cfm www.earlham.edu/~bowenap/sealamprey.htm www.dec.ny.gov/environmentdec/36890.html
The Tour
We will review the invasive species displays in the ECHO center starting point before we head out to the field. We will visit several locations that have different types of invasives in their community. Using a field guide for plants, animals and algae that you can download and print from the links above (or I can supply) you are to identify exotic species and comment on their general vigor at the site they are found, the type of environment they seem to prefer and if it looks as if they are becoming the dominant species in the location they are found. There are several invasives you will not see in the field such as sea lampreys and alewives unless we see some of the latter washed up on the beach as they occasionally do. In your journal, separate the invasives into categories you feel are appropriate. Bring your hand lens for a closer examination of the Zebra mussels we will dissect. In your journal provide a hypothesis about where the invasive species came from originally, how it arrived in Vermont, why it is so successful and what the chances are of either reducing or eliminating it's presence. Our tour will start at the point where the La Platte River enters Shelburne Bay which is about 5 miles south of the ECHO center on Route 7. Turn right at the traffic light at the Volvo Dealership onto Bay Road and follow that road for about 1/2 mile until you see the sign for the Shelburne Bay fishing access. Read and take notes about the Fish and Game warning signs about invasive species and their suggestions to boaters on how to limit their spread. A walk around the perimeter of this area will reveal some invasive species and in the shallow water you should be able to see colonies of Zebra mussels that can be taken for dissection samples to see why they are such efficient filter feeders. CAUTION- These little mussels have thin shells that can be as sharp as glass! The infestation of these filter feeders has made the lake water much more clear over the last few years. Why does that have a detrimental effect on other species in the lake? If you have a Kayak or canoe, paddle the shallow waters of the landing area then go under the low bridge and up the La Platte river into the La Platte River Marsh Natural Area to continue your invasive species inventory. You can cross the road on foot and work your way along the banks of the river if necessary. This area is a haven for migratory waterfowl and is an important wildlife resource in a somewhat developed area. Spend a total of 4 hours at this site. The next stop is a 1&1/2 mile long confined pond that occasionally experiences fish kills due to hypoxia. Continue south down Route 7 for 2 miles and turn left onto Falls Road at the traffic light at the end of Shelburne Village and continue another 3 miles to Shelburne Pond. Do your invasive species inventory and note the differences between the three aquatic environments. This portion of the day including travel back to Burlington will take 4 hours.
This tour can be enhanced by using a kayak or canoe at the locations we will visit. Kayaks or canoes and the associated gear can be rented from Eastern Mountain Sports (EMS) at 100 Dorset Street South Burlington Vermont (802) 864-0473 for $40.00 per day. You can find this store by driving East from the ECHO Center on Main street about 3 miles then turn right at the large sign for Dorset Street. EMS one of the first group of busineses on the left at the first traffic light on this Street. Alternately you can walk along the shoreline at most of the locations we will visit but using a kayak today is the preferred mode of travel.
Water Chestnut Purple Loosestrife Eurasian Milfoil
Leslie J. Mehrhoff, University of Connecticut John D. Byrd, Mississippi State University Alison Fox, University of Florida
Overview of invasive species in Vermont.
Invasive species are not a new problem but more a problem of which we are now acutely aware. It is important to understand that some species of organisms can drastically change the balance in natural communities even though they may appear to be a relatively benign addition to local environments. It is also important to understand the human responsibility for the ever-widening problem of invasive and introduced species. Geographic isolation of species is something we have learned about in the study of environmental geoscience and the movement of continents over time has isolated or introduced species to a new area as a natural method of redistribution of species that changes the balance of communities. Consider the numerous species of marsupials in Australia, the migration of camels and early horses from the western USA and our own adaptations as a species to new environments as we migrated according to the "out of Africa" model of human dispersal to the far reaches of the planet. The difference with the current situation with invasive or indroduced species is the anthropogenic factor which accelerates the change in community makeup to the point where natural controls necessary to rebalance the species makeup of the community quite often cannot keep pace. Our ability to travel globally with speed makes it easy for species to move with the same speed if care is not taken to block their movement. Intentional or not we are responsible for some classic examples of ecosystem changing species introductions such as rabbits to Australia, Kudzu Vines to the southern USA, and Pigs to Hawai'i. Vermont has a large population of invasive species that in some instances such as Zebra Mussels and Sea Lampreys have caused dramatic ecosystem changes in a span of only 10-20 years with no viable control solutions in sight.
Zebra Mussels Sea Lamprey Didymo
www.ec.gc.ca/.../issues/35/feature3_e.cfm www.earlham.edu/~bowenap/sealamprey.htm www.dec.ny.gov/environmentdec/36890.html
The Tour
We will review the invasive species displays in the ECHO center starting point before we head out to the field. We will visit several locations that have different types of invasives in their community. Using a field guide for plants, animals and algae that you can download and print from the links above (or I can supply) you are to identify exotic species and comment on their general vigor at the site they are found, the type of environment they seem to prefer and if it looks as if they are becoming the dominant species in the location they are found. There are several invasives you will not see in the field such as sea lampreys and alewives unless we see some of the latter washed up on the beach as they occasionally do. In your journal, separate the invasives into categories you feel are appropriate. Bring your hand lens for a closer examination of the Zebra mussels we will dissect. In your journal provide a hypothesis about where the invasive species came from originally, how it arrived in Vermont, why it is so successful and what the chances are of either reducing or eliminating it's presence. Our tour will start at the point where the La Platte River enters Shelburne Bay which is about 5 miles south of the ECHO center on Route 7. Turn right at the traffic light at the Volvo Dealership onto Bay Road and follow that road for about 1/2 mile until you see the sign for the Shelburne Bay fishing access. Read and take notes about the Fish and Game warning signs about invasive species and their suggestions to boaters on how to limit their spread. A walk around the perimeter of this area will reveal some invasive species and in the shallow water you should be able to see colonies of Zebra mussels that can be taken for dissection samples to see why they are such efficient filter feeders. CAUTION- These little mussels have thin shells that can be as sharp as glass! The infestation of these filter feeders has made the lake water much more clear over the last few years. Why does that have a detrimental effect on other species in the lake? If you have a Kayak or canoe, paddle the shallow waters of the landing area then go under the low bridge and up the La Platte river into the La Platte River Marsh Natural Area to continue your invasive species inventory. You can cross the road on foot and work your way along the banks of the river if necessary. This area is a haven for migratory waterfowl and is an important wildlife resource in a somewhat developed area. Spend a total of 4 hours at this site. The next stop is a 1&1/2 mile long confined pond that occasionally experiences fish kills due to hypoxia. Continue south down Route 7 for 2 miles and turn left onto Falls Road at the traffic light at the end of Shelburne Village and continue another 3 miles to Shelburne Pond. Do your invasive species inventory and note the differences between the three aquatic environments. This portion of the day including travel back to Burlington will take 4 hours.
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