One of the highlights of the Great Lakes field experience, Edmunds Central students returned soaked after experiencing the full fury of Niagara Falls. For millennia this 160-foot barrier protected the Great Lakes from introductions of new species. This barrier was eventually breached by the building of the Erie and Welland Canals.
Eleven Edmunds Central students and two Edmunds Central staff traveled to the Great Lakes July 25-31 as part of a field experience based on a book study of The Death and Life of the Great Lakes.
The trip was funded thanks to a NOAA Planet Stewards grant.
Throughout the week, students learned about Great Lakes ecology and how aquatic invasive species have changed the Great Lakes. Furthermore, students learned about how their introduction has impacted South Dakota or may impact South Dakota in the future with additional aquatic invasive species making their way into our state from the Great Lakes region. It was fitting that while we were away news broke on invasive mussels being found in Enemy Swim since they were first discovered in North America in the Great Lakes system more than 30 years ago. It was very sad to hear such news considering the extent to which Enemy Swim had tried to keep zebra mussels out of their lake.
Brought to the Great Lakes by ballast water that made it from the Black Sea and Caspian Sea regions, zebra mussels were eventually replaced by quagga mussels in the Great Lakes, a closely related species, that has the ability to feed throughout the winter and grow on a greater diversity of lake bottom.
Something to think about before one throws in the towel on mussel infestations: we do not have quagga mussels, yet, and the same containment strategies used to slow the spread of zebra mussels works just as well against keeping quaggas out of South Dakota for as long as possible. Giving up on the fight against invasive mussels is an invitation to the zebra mussel's close cousin, which could have far greater negative impacts on our game fish populations.
During the weeklong field experience, teachers from across the state were taking the virtual field experience online by following our activities and discussing topics related to aquatic invasive species. Students recorded video presentations of questions for the virtual workshop teachers to answer at key locations throughout the Great Lakes: the Great Lakes Aquarium in Duluth, Beaver Island in Lake Michigan, the Erie Canal, Niagara Falls, the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, and the Chicago River.
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