Invasive Species threatens the American Eel

The American eel acts as an indicator species to the health of the habitat of Lake Ontario Invasive bottom feeder the common carp takes over the role of the American eel. In freshwater ecosystems, such as the Great Lakes, common carp have had a negative impact by increasing turbidity and disrupting vegetation due to their foraging and spawning activities. Non-native species are organisms that have been introduced to a new ecosystem and can have harmful economic and environmental effects (NISC 2006). In aquatic environments, non-native species can have direct or indirect effects on the biology of the ecosystem through predation, competition, hybridization, habitat alteration, and the spread of new pathogens or diseases (Gozlan et al. 2010).