![]() ![]() Kimmel said that's why there is a ministerial order at McGregor Lake for watercraft users to clean, drain and dry their gear to ensure they aren't accidentally transporting the snails. Scientists ask for help to solve snail 'mystery'.Chinese mystery snail spotted in Alberta lake - and biologists want your help to keep it there.The best strategy seems to be containment. "So, this makes them pretty tough against any kind of predation," said Edgar. So even if we tried to dry them out, or freeze them out, or use chemicals, they have this ability to seal themselves up and avoid those exposures, making them very difficult to eradicate," she said.Įdgar echoed this, adding that their shell makes them good at camouflaging, and the way the shell seals up helps them evade most methods of chemical management. "They're quite tricky because they have this trapdoor that can seal up the snail shell completely for weeks at a time. What was discovered is that their physical features make them tough to get rid of, says Nicole Kimmel, aquatic invasive species specialist with Alberta Environment and Parks, and a collaborator on the study. Researchers also studied the snail's characteristics to help inform future management decisions. The study Edgar worked on was able to confirm that the large snails spotted in McGregor Lake are indeed Chinese mystery snails, but it also confirmed they are free of parasites. They have a dark brown and green hard shell. (Submitted by Univeristy of Alberta)Ĭhinese mystery snails - also known as the trapdoor snails - are larger than the species that are native to the area. It's unknown how it got into the lake but it was likely human caused, she adds.Ĭhinese mystery snails - also known as trapdoor snails - are quite a bit larger that the native species found in Lake McGregor, says Megan Edgar, a master of science student studying conservation biology at the University of Alberta. The snail concerns researchers because in other provinces it has outcompeted native snails and impacted the entire aquatic food web, Edgar explains. The Chinese mystery snail is native to eastern Asia but in 2019 scientists found it in McGregor Lake, a reservoir about 90 kilometres southeast of Calgary. "It's really important that if we learn that this is here, that we jump on it right away and make sure that we're getting it and nipping it in the bud to understand what's going to impact our water bodies," said study co-author Megan Edgar, a master of science student studying conservation biology at the University of Alberta. The invasive species can be found in other parts of Canada, but so far in Alberta, it is believed to be contained to the north bay of McGregor Lake - and scientists want to keep it that way. ![]() ![]() A new study out of the University of Alberta in collaboration with the province could help manage the spread of Chinese mystery snails. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |