Oops! Asian Carp Capable Of Spawning In Far Broader Range Of Habitats Than Previously Thought
TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. (AP) — Asian carp are reproducing in more places and under more varied conditions than experts had believed they could, yet another reason to worry about the greedy invader's potential to infest waterways and crowd out native species, scientists said Tuesday.
Several varieties of carp imported from Asia have migrated steadily northward in the Mississippi River and its tributaries since escaping from Southern fish farms and sewage treatment ponds in the 1970s. They've been spotted in more than two dozen states. Bighead and silver carp gobble enormous volumes of plankton, a crucial link in the aquatic food chain, while silver carp sometimes collide with boaters by hurtling from the water when startled.
Research based largely on data from their homeland has indicated the carp can spawn successfully only under the right circumstances, including temperatures of about 70 degrees and long stretches of continuously flowing water where fertilized eggs can drift while incubating. But a study led by Reuben Goforth of Purdue University has found their eggs in places that previously were considered unsuitable.
"We need to recognize that these species have greater flexibility ... than perhaps we originally thought, so we probably need to be prepared for them to become established in a wider range of ecosystems than we originally expected," Goforth said in a telephone interview.
EDIT
http://www.sfgate.com/news/science/article/Asian-carp-spawning-areas-wider-than-expected-4367284.php
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No - I won't post an example and start a rumpus here.
