Two non-native species of zooplankton have been found in the Great Lakes, according to researchers at the Cornell University Biological Field Station: The Diaphanosoma fluviatile and the Mesocyclops pehpeiensis. The researchers announced the news after they partnered with EPA’s Great Lakes National Program Office and sampled water from the lakes 72 times.
D. fluviatile is native to South America, Central America and the Caribbean, while M. pehpeiensis is native to tropical areas in Asia. It is unclear how the species entered the lakes.
In a statement from the Alliance for the Great Lakes Vice President of Policy, Molly Flanagan says: “We do know that once in the lakes aquatic species are easily moved from lake to lake by ships… Today’s announcement is a reminder for the Great Lakes region of the need for strong ballast water standards.”
