Background & Purpose
The New Zealand mudsnail is an invasive specie that reproduces asexually with single snails forming large clones. These snails degrade habitat by outcompeting native snails and their small size results in high shell surface area and little meat volume. Fish that feed upon them starve, having stomachs full of shells.
Project purpose: to determine the extent of New Zealand Mudsnail colonization, describe habitat characteristics preferred by New Zealand Mudsnails, and find ways that may help in controlling New Zealand Mudsnails spread.
Research History
2006
New Zealand Mudsnails were found in Hall Slough by TEP 2007-2008 High school natural resource students worked with agencies to produce invasive specie signs including New Zealand Mudsnail signs. Groups of 4 students in natural resource classes created signs on invasive species that they presented to a panel of agency personnel from BLM, ODFW, ODF, as well as TBWC. The best components of each group were combined. Agency graphic artists modified and created the signs. 2008-2009 Shop students at Nestucca and Tilamook High Schools created triangular kiosks from galvanized metal to hold the large 3 X 4 foot signs. Students from Nestucca, Neahkahnie, and Tillamook High Schools placed kiosks within their areas. In addition smaller signs on PVC were created and placed at river access areas around the county by high school students and others. 2009-2010 300 traps were made and placed in the southern portion of Tillamook Bay and in the sloughs and rivers that enter the southern part of the bay. These are monitored every 2 months by students from the various high schools including visiting high school and college groups that pair up with the high school. 2010-2011 Continued bimonthly monitoring of water quality and snail spread Study correlating cloning rates with salinity Genetics study comparing freshwater and brackish water snails |