There are nearly 200 non-indigenous aquatic species that are impacting the Great Lakes, according to the Great Lakes Aquatic Nonindigenous Species Information System (GLANSIS).
This week, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory posted about the GLANSIS, saying that the system is a one-stop shop for information about invasive species.
"GLERL experts have long studied the impacts of current and potential invaders in the Great Lakes. As the long-standing home for GLANSIS, our goal is to get the message out about the significant risks they pose," Acting GLERL Director Dr. Jesse Feyen said in a statement.
The system is designed to help keep track of the aquatic species and provide a tool for the profiles of those species. While it was designed for use by scientists and experts, they say it can also be used by teachers, students, anglers, property owners and others who want to learn how to stop invasive species in the Great Lakes.
In August 2024, a new report published in the Journal of Great Lakes Research showed the top 10 aquatic invasive species in the Great Lakes.
A group of scientists and researchers used what they called an "organism impact assessment tool" from the GLANSIS to rank the top 10 most impactful invasive species.
According to the report, these are the 10 species with the "environmental and socio-economic impacts."
- Zebra mussel (mollusk)
- Quagga mussel (mollusk)
- Alewife (fish)
- Sea lamprey (fish)
- Japanese stiltgrass (plant)
- Grass carp (fish)
- Water chestnut (plant)
- Common reed (plant)
- Round goby (fish)
- White perch (fish)
According to the researchers, nine of the top 10 species were found to pose some hazard or threat to the health of the native species.
Researchers also found that four species – zebra mussel, alewife, sea lamprey, Japanese stiltgrass – received the highest score for environmental impact, "meaning that their establishment has resulted in the reduction or extinction of one or more native populations, or has affected multiple species."
