Fresh Water Studies Commons^™

Lower Columbia River Aquatic Nonindigenous Species Survey 2001-2004, Mark Sytsma, Jeffery Cordell, John Chapman, Robyn Draheim

Center for Lakes and Reservoirs Publications and Presentations

Rates of aquatic nonindigenous species (ANS) introductions and their social, economic, and ecological impacts are increasing. Introductions of nonnative marine organisms have increased exponentially over the last two centuries and expenditures on outreach, control, and research exceed millions of dollars per species for several invaders of particular concern to the United States. These trends suggest that major changes are occurring in the freshwater, estuarine, and marine ecosystems of North America, but their magnitude is probably underestimated.