The Sea Lamprey is a jaw-less fish that is a brownish grey colour and is on average 90 cm long. Its main prey is a wide variety of fish, it clasps on to the side of the fish with its suction cup-like mouth and eats it. When a sea lamprey is born it stays in fresh water for a couple weeks until it migrates to seas or lakes to start feeding(sometimes the lamprey's will start to feed before it leaves the rivers). After one year the lamprey will go back to where it was born to mate and die. since the sea lamprey is invasive to the great lakes and it feeds on the apex predator of the lakes(Trout) it has no predators. The sea lamprey is native to lakes in New York and Vermont. It prefers to breed in deep fast flowing rivers that are very clean. it was introduced into the greats lakes eco-system by the Erie and Welland canals that connect to their native lakes in New York and Vermont.
Lamprey Effects and Control of Population
The Lamprey has had a very negative effect on its new eco-system, its main prey is the original apex-predator of the eco-system so it is destroying the population of the lake trout.the Lamprey has no predators of its own so it wont be leaving the eco-system naturally and will continue to thrive. Attempts on the control of the Sea Lamprey have included electric shock, chemical Lampricide (a chemical that targets the larvae of the Lamprey) and barriers to block them out. Electric current was too risky because it could kill other fish, lampricide was very effective but also very expensive and the barriers didn't go well because they also bocked other fish that were migrating on those streams.
What we have learned and what we can do to help
We have learned that if a species that is not natural to an area is introduced and it has no predators then it will have catastrophic effects on its prey's population. There is nothing that we can really do as individuals but the Great Lakes Fishery Commission is leading the control attempts on the Sea Lampreys so if you really want to help then your best bet would be to join the commission.
B3.5 Identify various factors related to human activity that have impacted on ecosystems (the introduction of invasive species) and explain how these factors affect the equilibrium in an ecosystem.
Category
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
Level 4
Knowledge and Understanding:
Answers to questions on topic.
Demonstrates little understanding of the basic concepts of the topic.
Demonstrates some understanding of the basic concepts of the topic.
Demonstrates understanding of most of the basic concepts of the topic.
Demonstrates thorough understanding of content of the topic.
Thinking and Inquiry:
Choses relevant and interesting pictures, videos, and links.
Uses processing skills and strategies with limited effectiveness
Uses processing skills and strategies with some effectiveness
Uses processing skills and strategies with considerable effectiveness
Uses processing skills and strategies with thorough effectiveness
Communication
Spelling, grammar, neatness and organization.
Expresses and organizes ideas and information with limited effectiveness
Expresses and organizes ideas and information with some effectiveness
Expresses and organizes ideas and information with considerable effectiveness
Expresses and organizes ideas and information with thorough effectiveness
Application:
Apply functions and capabilities of Wiki to page.
Use few of the elements and functions of Wiki. Just pictures and plain words.
Use some of the elements and functions of Wiki. Pictures, text, videos.
Use a considerable amount of the elements and functions of Wiki. Links, videos, actions.
Fully uses the elements and functions of Wiki to present a creative and appealing page.
Sea Lampreys in the Great Lakes
Lamprey's Life and History
The Sea Lamprey is a jaw-less fish that is a brownish grey colour and is on average 90 cm long. Its main prey is a wide variety of fish, it clasps on to the side of the fish with its suction cup-like mouth and eats it. When a sea lamprey is born it stays in fresh water for a couple weeks until it migrates to seas or lakes to start feeding(sometimes the lamprey's will start to feed before it leaves the rivers). After one year the lamprey will go back to where it was born to mate and die. since the sea lamprey is invasive to the great lakes and it feeds on the apex predator of the lakes(Trout) it has no predators. The sea lamprey is native to lakes in New York and Vermont. It prefers to breed in deep fast flowing rivers that are very clean. it was introduced into the greats lakes eco-system by the Erie and Welland canals that connect to their native lakes in New York and Vermont.
more on lampreyMigration
Lamprey Effects and Control of Population
The Lamprey has had a very negative effect on its new eco-system, its main prey is the original apex-predator of the eco-system so it is destroying the population of the lake trout.the Lamprey has no predators of its own so it wont be leaving the eco-system naturally and will continue to thrive. Attempts on the control of the Sea Lamprey have included electric shock, chemical Lampricide (a chemical that targets the larvae of the Lamprey) and barriers to block them out. Electric current was too risky because it could kill other fish, lampricide was very effective but also very expensive and the barriers didn't go well because they also bocked other fish that were migrating on those streams.
What we have learned and what we can do to help
We have learned that if a species that is not natural to an area is introduced and it has no predators then it will have catastrophic effects on its prey's population. There is nothing that we can really do as individuals but the Great Lakes Fishery Commission is leading the control attempts on the Sea Lampreys so if you really want to help then your best bet would be to join the commission.http://facstaff.cbu.edu/~seisen/LampreyInvasionRoute.jpg
http://www.umesc.usgs.gov/invasive_species/sea_lamprey/images/maps/hotzone_sm.gif
http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/fishing/images/lakesuperior/image005.jpg
"Sea lamprey." __Wikipedia__. 12 Oct. 2013. Wikimedia Foundation. 17 Dec. 2013 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sea_lamprey>. "Sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus)." __Sea lamprey videos, photos and facts__. 16 Dec. 2013 <http://www.arkive.org/sea-lamprey/petromyzon-marinus/>.
B3.5 Identify various factors related to human activity that have impacted on ecosystems (the introduction of invasive species) and explain how these factors affect the equilibrium in an ecosystem.
Answers to questions on topic.
Choses relevant and interesting pictures, videos, and links.
Spelling, grammar, neatness and organization.
Apply functions and capabilities of Wiki to page.