Invasive Species Working Group

The Invasives Species Working Group (ISWG), funded by an external grant from the John J. and Ruth F. Kloss Charitable Trust and led by Carthage professors Tracy Gartner and Scott Hegrenes, is developing a long-term monitoring program of riparian invasive species in Kenosha County, Wis.

More than 50,000 species have been introduced to the United States. Although the majority of these species remain harmless, others become invasive and outcompete native species. Riparian areas are particularly vulnerable to invasion due to high natural and anthropogenic disturbance, which promotes the spread of invasives.

In Wisconsin, common invaders include the aquatic species Myriophyllum spicatum (Eurasian water milfoil) and Potamogeton crispus (curly-leaf pondweed) and the terrestrial species Lythrum salicaria (purple loosestrife). Long-term monitoring is crucial for increasing our understanding of invasives.

ISWG started in summer 2009 with two student assistants, Samantha Miller, '10, and Marie Pichler, '11. The first year was spent selecting study sites and gathering baseline data on the abundance and distribution of aquatic and terrestrial species. In the future, research will build off this baseline data, examining temporal changes in community structure as well as assessing management techniques. Each summer 2-4 students will be selected to work on continuing the project to meet the following goals:

• Establish long-term monitoring of invasive species
• Assess management techniques for invasive species
• Educate the community about invasive species
  
  

Goal No. 1: Establish long-term monitoring of invasive species in riparian areas

In 2009, the group selected four lakes in Kenosha County for monitoring and will continue to survey these lakes in future years. We also hope to expand our sites to include connected rivers and streams. We hope to have a terrestrial and an aquatic team to make important links between these two ecosystems.

Lake sites:
Silver Lake in Silver Lake, Wis.
George Lake in Bristol, Wis.
Mud Lake in Bristol, Wis.
"Mildred" Lake in Brighton, Wis.

Problematic Species:

• Purple Loosestrife — Purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria) is a non-native terrestrial plant brought over from Europe in the 1800s as a garden plant. It typically invades wetlands and displaces native species such as cattails.
• Eurasian Watermilfoil — Eurasian watermilfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum) is a non-native aquatic plant introduced to North America sometime in the late 1800s. It forms dense mats of vegetation at the surface that inhibit sunlight penetration into the water and restrict recreational activities.
• Curly-leaf Pondweed — Curly-leaf pondweed (Potamogeton cripsus) is an invasive aquatic plant that is native to Eurasia, Africa, and Australia. It can form dense mats and push out other aquatic plant species.
• Zebra Mussels — The zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha) is an invasive freshwater mussel that originated from Southeast Russia. They are filter feeders and, when in large populations, can bottom-out a food chain by consuming much of that ecosystems zooplankton and phytoplankton.
• Rusty Crayfish — The rusty crayfish (Orconectes rusticus) is native to the Ohio River basin but is considered invasive outside of that system. The rusty crayfish displaces most native crayfish when introduced to an area by out-sizing and out-eating the natives.
  
  

Goal No. 2: Assess management techniques for invasive species

We have primarily been engaged in baseline monitoring to date, but hope to develop a management plan soon.

Goal No. 3: Educate the community about invasive species

In 2009, we set up an informational booth at Food, Folks and Spokes, talked with trustees and alumni of the College, and presented our work at two regional conferences, one of which received an award for Undergraduate Excellence. Congratulations Samantha and Marie. Similar outreach will be an integral part of continuing the ISWG project.

Local Events
Carthage Alumni College — Assisted with a short class about invasive species
Kenosha Civic Event — Set up an educational booth about invasive species
Coffee at the Clausen — Spoke with the Carthage Board of Trustees and local business people about invasive species concerns

Conference Presentations
Midstates Math and Science Consortium
"Initiating a long-term monitoring program of invasive riparian plants in Kenosha County, Wisconsin" — Samantha Miller
"Distribution and dispersal of aquatic invasive species in Kenosha County" — Marie Pichler

American Water Resources Association – Wisconsin Section Annual Meeting
"Initiating a long-term monitoring program of aquatic and terrestrial invasive species in Kenosha County, Wisconsin" — Samantha Miller, Marie Pichler, Profs. Tracy Gartner, and Scott Hegrenes. Received award for Undergraduate Excellence

For more information about ISWG or to get involved, contact Prof. Tracy Gartner, Prof. Scott Hegrenes, or one of the student team members.

2009 ISWG Students
Samantha Miller, '10
Marie Pichler, '11

2010 ISWG Students
Marie Pichler, '11
Morgan Wiechmann, '12
Adam Glover, '11

Prairie Restoration

Beyond the Classroom: Course integrates prairie restoration, environmental education and community building. Read more.