There might be another invasive species joining algae and Asian carp, and threatening the Great Lakes’ freshwater ecosystem. Starry stonewort is a fast-growing, hard-to-kill aquatic weed that has become widespread on Michigan’s Lower Peninsula and in parts of western New York. The weed has also been found in parts of Wisconsin, Minnesota, Indiana, Pennsylvania, Vermont and Canada.
Starry stonewort is a weed that can clump together to form “mats.” It is largely impervious to herbicides, and can be difficult to identify. There has been little scientific study on the effects of the weed on the Great Lakes, but scientists are concerned the weed mats have the potential to harm aquatic ecosystems. The weed mats could also be annoying for boaters and anglers on the Great Lakes.
Boaters are urged to prevent the spread of starry stonewort by thoroughly cleaning their boat and equipment before moving from one body of water to another.
