To date, an excess of 180 non-native aquatic species have been documented in the Great Lakes region and additional non-native species are appearing every year.
To date, an excess of 180 non-native aquatic species have been documented in the Great Lakes region and additional non-native species are appearing every year. Some non-native species become so problematic in terms of damage to the environment, economy and even human health, that they are labeled “invasive” species. Two invasive species of great concern in the Great Lakes region are Phragmites (Phragmites australis), a tall grass, and quagga mussels (Dreissena rostriformis), related to the invasive zebra mussel. Invasive Phragmites and quagga mussels are now common throughout most of Lake Michigan and Lake Huron. However, little was known until recently about their spread into the inland areas of the Northern Lower Peninsula of Michigan.
