Risk Assessment of Recreational Boating Traffic and Aquatic Nuisance Species (Dreissenid Mussel) Invasion to Lakes, Rivers and Reservoirs of the Western United States.

摘要

Recreational boating has been established as an important source of spread of aquatic invasive species to inland water bodies. The link between boater travel patterns and the presence of aquatic nuisance species (ANS) such as dreissenid mussels has been demonstrated for aquatic systems in the Midwestern United States, New Zealand, and in Canada. The rapid invasion of dreissenid mussel species and other ANS to freshwater systems in U.S. has prompted a public outreach and data collection efforts on behalf of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s 100th Meridian Initiative program. This program addresses the spread of aquatic invasive species to inland freshwater bodies in the U.S. Western region. A major part of this effort is the widespread administration of recreational boater interviews to gather information that identifies origination points and destinations of boaters across the Western U.S.