An update on critical aspects of the forty-year starry stonewort bio-Invasion

Representing the only known exotic invasive member of the (usually) highly beneficial Characeae family, starry stonewort (scientific name, Nitellopsis obtusa) is a macroalga that has staged a bio-invasion of ‘spectacular’ proportions within the freshwater inundated Laurentian Great Lakes region over the course of the past forty years. Threatened by climate change and eutrophication within its native distribution range, starry stonewort is a powerful ecosystem engineer that often forms dense, wide-area meadows that act to suppress native macrophytes and prevent fish from accessing critical foraging and spawning areas. Our starry stonewort-focused workshop will feature expert speakers. The workshop will begin with an overview of the natural history, biology, morphology, reproductive capacity, the eco-physiological prerequisites of starry stonewort as well as a review of the number and distribution of inland lakes and other water bodies in Michigan that have been invaded by starry stonewort. Our second speaker will dedicate their presentation to providing our audience with a review of the status of research being conducted to discover and develop effective, eco-friendly herbicide application-based alternatives for controlling starry stonewort. Our subsequent presentation will explore an increasingly utilized ‘pragmatic’ approach to mitigating the harmful impacts of starry stonewort by methodically evaluating conditions at each invaded site, assessing the coverage area and abundance of each infestation, and responding with a site characteristics dependent control program comprised of mechanical harvesting, and/or herbicide applications. Our workshop will culminate with a presentation by the manager of the Finger Lakes Institute Starry Stonewort Collaborative who will discuss the mission, goals, and status of an ongoing USEPA grant enabled project that was launched in order to enhance the capacity of lake managers and scientists within the Great Lakes region to manage exotic starry stonewort. 

Presented by Scott Brown, Michigan Waterfront Alliance, David Carr, Finger Lakes Institute - Hobart and William Smith College, and Wesley Glisson, Minnesota Aquatic Invasive Species Research Center, as part of the 2020 Michigan Inland Lakes Convention.