First week of sampling in Southern Indiana!

June 4th and 5th

So, this week the team (Erick, Alex, Mike and myself) went to Southern Indiana to sample around 20 or 30 lakes and river boat ramps. We are trying to establish how prevalent invasive species, aquatic and terrerestrial, are to the southern Indiana area. The idea being that the undersides of boats and boat trailers carry invasive species from lake to lake and by surveying the areas around boat ramps, we will pick up on established populations of invasives...such as Eurasian milfoil and hydrilla, and mitigation and removal opportunities can be maximized. Invasive aquatic plants are bad because they can out compete native species, which can serve as food, shelter, and habitat for native aquatic species, such as fish, macrobenthic invertebrates (insects) and some birds. Invasives also tend to be fast growing and reproduce quickly meaning they can grow into large mounds, getting caught in boat propellers, clogging lake connectors, outlet culverts and generally clouding the water and blocking out light for other plant species.

Another species of concern for the areas of the midwest is the Zebra muscle. You know you are swimming in a lake infested with zebra muscles because the water is super clear and purty! The zebra muscle is a filter feeder, so it sucks in water and filters out the suspended goodies, which it eats, and leaves behind crystal clear nutrient-less water. Which is good for me (and my snorkel needs!) but bad for other species in the lake.

There are currently no natural predators for the zebra muscle and it takes just one (that might be a hide-away in the crevice of your fin strap) to re-create a population, this means that every night after being in a zebra muscle positive lake we have to submerge our suits, masks, flippers, snorkels, weight belts, and dive bags in HOT bleach water for 10 minutes. Its a pain in the ass, and you get bleach on all your clothes and the hotel carpet. BUT we have to do it in order to prevent the spread of those little buggers.

I dove my first lake yesterday at Hovey Lake...it was way to murky to get out and see anything, so we ended up preforming a rake toss instead. It was scary because when your in the water and you can't even see your hand in front of you, you don't want to be diving down because you can hit a rock, the bottom or run into a tree stump (yes, Hovey lake had many submerged cypress trees, so pretty but dangerous). I got to do an actual dive on Friday

at the Pit lakes (old coal mine-shafts dug 50 or so years ago that hit the water table and filled to form a lake that is now used for boating and fishing). I found five species of plants, majority of them invasive.

Overall, my first week was productive, exciting and educational. I'll post more photos within the next few days.

(Left:the plants I gathered at the Pit lake

Bottom Left and top of page: Pit lake

Bottom right: Hovey lake with submerged cypress trees,

and I saw a paddle fish jump from the water here too!)