What immediate, observable impact does high-volume Zebra Mussel filtration have on water?
Answer
It increases water clarity by removing phytoplankton.
The zebra mussel's most significant ecological driver is its highly efficient filtration mechanism, where an adult can process liters of water daily, extracting phytoplankton and zooplankton. The direct, observable consequence of removing these suspended particles is a dramatic decrease in turbidity, resulting in significantly increased water clarity. This light penetration, while seemingly positive, fundamentally alters the ecosystem by starving the base of the pelagic food web, as native zooplankton and fish depend on those drifting food sources.
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