Zebra Mussels as Biomonitors for Cyanobacteria Toxins in the Great Lakes

Zebra mussels are well established in Lake Champlain and the Great   Lakes ecosystem. They filter large volumes of water as part of their   daily feeding cycle. Gregory Boyer, from SUNY ESF, was awarded a   GLRC small grant to investigate zebra mussels as biomonitors for   cyanobacteria toxins in the Great Lakes. Zebra mussels would act as   an excellent biomarker if they accumulate cyanobacteria toxins in a   consistent manner. The basic working hypothesis of this project is   that the cyanobacteria toxin concentration measured in zebra mussel   is proportional to the amount of toxic cyanobacteria in the water   column. As such, these species can be used as surrogate collectors   to monitor for cyanobacteria toxins in the plankton. To conduct   this study, researchers at SUNY ESF, SUNY Brockport, and the Lake   Champlain Research Institute at SUNY Plattsburgh will conduct field   and laboratory studies of Lake Champlain and Lake Ontario.    (zebra mussel); (zebra mussels); (Dreissena polymorpha);   (Dreissenids); (Dreissenid); (AIS); (aquatic invasive species);   (ANS); (aquatic nuisance species); (cyanobacteria); (plankton);   (blue-green algae); (blue-green bacteria)