Daniel Larkin and Wesley Glisson

March 1, 1:00 P.M., Register here  

Starry stonewort (Nitellopsis obtusa; SSW) is an invasive macroalga (charophyte) in North America. Our recent research has provided new information on the spread, impacts, and management of SSW. Analyses of climate and water chemistry data have demonstrated a wide ecological niche for SSW in North America and highlighted potentially high-risk lakes in Minnesota and Wisconsin. Desiccation experiments have shown that SSW is unlikely to survive long periods of overland travel if standard decontamination guidelines are properly followed. Field experiments have indicated that native aquatic plants are negatively impacted by increased SSW abundance, and that phenological differences between SSW and native macrophytes may help explain SSW’s invasiveness and pose challenges for its management. Lastly, laboratory experiments and analysis of treatments outcomes from Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Indiana suggest that copper-based algaecides commonly used for SSW control have limited effectiveness for preventing within-lake population growth; alternative methods, including physical removal of small infestations appear promising but require further investigation.