Zebra and Quagga Mussels (both invasive species in North America) have caused havoc to the Great Lakes ecosystem for more than two decades, and University of Michigan Water Center Research Scientist Tom Nalepa recently co-edited a book that brings researchers, managers, and policy-makers up to date on virtually all aspects of the issue. The book is titled “Quagga and Zebra Mussels; Biological, Impacts, and Control."
Published by CRC Press this fall, the 815-page, 48-chapter volume includes contributions from more than 100 authors from around the globe, including Gary Fahnenstiel, fellow research scientist at the Water Center, as well as other scientists associated with the University of Michigan (U-M). The book covers a variety of topics about the invasive mussels, including mussel biology, distribution, life history traits, ecological impacts, and control techniques.
“As challenges related to these invasive mussels continue to evolve and expand, my co-editor and I thought it was only fitting that we produce a comprehensive new book that gives a historical perspective on the issue and provides the most up-to-date research,” Nalepa said. “I hope it will be helpful to all involved with the mussel issue, ranging from those examining mussel impacts to those trying to manage and control them.”
The co-editor of the book is Don W. Schloesser, a fisheries scientist with the Great Lakes Science Center, U.S. Geological Survey. The book is a second edition; the first edition was published in 1993 during Nalepa’s tenure as research scientist with the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration’s Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory.
“Tom Nalepa is renowned for his seminal work on invasive mussels and their effects on Great Lakes communities,” said Don Scavia, director of the Graham Sustainability Institute, which administers the U-M Water Center. “We are proud of Tom’s exceptional work and honored to have scientists of his caliber on our team.”