These Boots Are Made For Wading

Could this be a first for a major retailer? L.L. Bean has created their new Riverkeeper Wading Boots with a specific goal in mind: make it less likely for aquatic invaders to stick to the boots and travel new locations. They did it by reducing the number of seams on the shoe, using materials that dry quickly and incorporating nonporous materials where they could. The company even includes a little brush that can be used to scrub the boots after you leave the water.

L.L. Bean consulted with a microbiologist who concluded that the boots were less likely than felt-soled boots to pick up and retain those unwanted hitchhikers. Too bad they didn't have their copywriter consult with an invasive species specialist before the catalog went to print - they bungled the spelling of both didymo and milfoil on page 12. But hey, we still get the picture:

(Tip of the virtual hat to the Northeast Aquatic Nuisance Species Panel for posting about this.)

Indy Algy

Back in 2003, the ISW posted about the controversy surrounding PepsiCo's attempts to promote farming of the red marine alga Kappaphycus alvarezii in India. Now, as posted over at Indiannotion, Science Magazine is reporting that the alga has spread from where it is being cultivated, invading Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park in the Bay of Bengal. At this point it remains unclear as to how the alga got there, since both PepsiCo and the Central Salt and Marine Chemicals Research Institute (which had been testing cultivation of the alga) are denying responsibility. While PepsiCo is volunteering funds to monitor and remove the algae from the marine reserve, scientists are concerned it may already be too late.

Interested readers will want to download the original research article from the May 2008 issue of the journal Current Science.

DidyMaryland

In case you missed it in the Twitter feed, Maryland announced Tuesday that they are the latest state to become host to the nasty invasive alga affectionately known as "rock snot" (Didymosphenia geminata, or didymo). The freshwater algae was discovered by anglers (go anglers! :-)) at Gunpowder Falls. Click through to the press release for a map of the area and contact information if you're in Maryland and think you've found didymo.

Aural Presentation

A follow-up on this post about NPR's "Most Loathed Invasive Species" feature:

I got an email from NPR's Science Reporter John Nielsen, letting me know that the piece has morphed into a write-up that is scheduled to debut on NPR's website during the last week of December, paired with a radio feature about the nasty new darling of invasive species media, Didymo (Didymosphenia geminata, also affectionately known as "rock snot").

John has received more than 300 lists of top five loathed invasives, so it will be interesting to hear what makes the cut. In the meantime, if you're still to get your words out, John has a new request:

if there is a species that you hate above all others and you don’t mind being quoted on the NPR web page, please send me a few lines full of bile and emotion or whatever re the species you have chosen.

Anyone game? If so, send email to jnielsen AT npr DOT org, and feel free to post your thoughts here - I'm thinking it is just too hard to narrow it down to one!

A Little Less Didymo

Diligent ISW readers may remember this post from October about the discovery of the algae known as didymo (Didymosphena geminata, also known as "rock snot") on the North Island of New Zealand. Tests done by Biosecurity New Zealand indicated the presence of dead cells of the algae in several North Island Rivers, with all signs pointing to the arrival of didymo after being known on the South Island for several years.

As a commenter noted, no live cells were found in the North Island samples, and now Scoop news is reporting that the actual source of the dead cells was...contaminated sampling containers. Lids used to seal the containers were sent off in sampling equipment with microscopic amounts of dead didymo cells left over from lab testing. The lab says they have protocols in place to prevent the transfer of any live plant matter, and it looks like they will be adding steps to prevent the transfer of dead organic material as well.

Tip of the virtual hat to the Protect Your Waters website for posting a link to this story.

Glaring At The Sea

The Balkan Investigative Reporting Network has an excellent article summarizing the current problems plaguing the Adriatic Sea following an incursion of the invasive alga Caulerpa racemosa. It is now recognized that Caulerpa, first discovered in 2000, is likely a permanent part of the Adriatic, however there has yet to be any plan put into place to control its movement. While a few countries bordering the Adriatic, including France, Croatia and Montenegro, have allocated low levels of funding towards Caulerpa control, the article notes that a coordinated, regional effort would be most effective at preventing the further spread of the seaweed. One roadblock to such an effort is the bad political blood that remains between some countries following the wars that occurred in the Balkans during the 1990s.

Magnetic North

The Dominion Post is reporting on what is most likely the inevitable spread of didymo algae (Didymosphenia geminata, also known as "rock snot") to the North Island of New Zealand. Didymo has been recorded all over the South Island since it first was spotted back in 2004. Now tests done on water from several North Island rivers show evidence of dead didymo cells present in the samples.

With dead cells there, can live ones be far behind? This seems to be more about detecting *when* and not *if* healthy didymo arrives on the North Island and starts to spread. Biosecurity New Zealand scientists sound like they are ready and waiting with a rapid response protocol that includes closing off impacted rivers and treating them with chelated copper. In the meantime, officials are asking anyone using the waterways to employ their own "Check, Clean, and Dry" protocol in an attempt to prevent didymo from spreading.

Thanks to Andrew B. for sending in a link to this story.

Snake River Snot

The Jackson Hole Daily is reporting that didymo (Didymosphenia geminata, or "rock snot") has been discovered in the state of Wyoming. The discovery of the algae in Lake Creek was made by USGS researchers sampling tributaries of the Snake River this past summer. This is only the second sighting of the algae in Wyoming, the first being in the Popo Agie River in 2006 (see related article in this newsletter from the Lander Region Angler News). Unfortunately, a planned survey of the Snake River has been called off to river conditions. For now, the Snake River Fund has stepped up, working with the US Forest Service and with other non-governmental organizations to set up washing stations at boat ramps in the area. As there is currently no known way to eliminate didymo infestations, keeping it from spreading is the best tool they have for managing the invasive algae.

Didymoron

Hawke's Bay Today is reporting that a man in New Zealand is alleged to have threatened to release the nasty invasive alga known as didymo (Didymosphenia geminata, also known as "rock snot") into the Waiau River. He reportedly called in the threat to the Wairoa Department of Conservation in response to their plans to begin poisoning local populations of rats and possums. Charges are expected to be brought against him, though a search of his house did not turn up any of the offending invader.

If he is found guilty, he could get 5 years in jail or a fine of $100,000 NZD (about $70,000 US). Personally, I'd rather he got one of those cool activist judges who punishes him not with jail time, but with something innovative. Like, say, a dunk tank filled with didymo...or stationing him at a boat launch and making him clean off anglers' boots with a toothbrush ;-).

DNA = Detect Nefarious Algae

ScienceAlert is reporting that a group of researchers at the University of Waikato in New Zealand have developed a "rock snot detection kit" that tests for the presence of the invasive alga didymo (Didymosphenia geminata, also known as "rock snot"). Using molecular tools, the scientists can detect didymo in concentrations of one cell/ml or less. I believe, if the protocol is the same as this presentation by the same scientists, that they have developed genetic markers for didymo and can run samples through PCR amplification to check for a match.

A tool like this would be quite useful for early detection monitoring, since didymo is most likely to spread into a new area long before it can be detected by the human eye. In fact, US researchers will probably want to get a copy of these markers to see if they match the recent didymo discoveries in the Northeast! Now if I could just find a paper published on the subject, so that I know this is not a recycled story from talks given on the subject in 2006.

Didymo Doom

The Burlington Free Press is reporting that the algae Didymosphenia geminata, commonly known as Didymo or "rock snot," has been discovered in the Connecticut River in Vermont. A fishing guide apparently spotted the stuff growing on rocks and reported it to the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources.

This is the first known record of Didymo in the Northeastern USA, though the algae has been sighted repeatedly over the past few years in the Southeastern USA (Tennessee, for example). As folks in New Zealand will tell you, this is bad news for the Connecticut River! There is no known way of getting rid of Didymo, so Vermont is instead focusing on controlling its spread. Fisherman and anyone else using the Connecticut River is being asked to follow New Zealand's protocol for decontaminating gear and clothing, especially if they are near infested sites (for now, just Bloomfield, Vermont). Unfortunately, even the tiniest little piece of Didymo clinging to a pair of waders can go on to form large mats when introduced to a new location.

Thanks to Lynn M. for sending in a link to the story, and bonus points to the Burlington Free Press for using Didymo's scientific name!

Drill Teams

Emergency preparedness drills occur all over the world. Here in the USA, we do them to test our preparedness for terrorist attacks and natural disasters like hurricanes. In New Zealand, they just finished one for invasive species. As reported by the Manawatu Standard, the Horizons Regional Council assisted Biosecurity New Zealand in performing a simulation in order to test how effectively they could deal with the invasion of the freshwater algae didymo (Didymoshenia geminata, also known as rock snot) in the Manawatu River. Didymo has already invaded New Zealand's South Island but has yet to be found in the Manawatu or other rivers on the North Island.

Thanks to Andrew B. for sending in a link to the story. Bonus points to the Manawatu Standard for including didymo's scientific name in the story.

If I Could Buy Plants In A Bottle...

...The first thing that I'd want to do
is spend every day asking what plants they were
and if they're invasive, I'd bid them adieu!

Via boingboing, news of a store called dirty microbe selling a "Tokyo Micro Garden," which is a tiny jar with a tiny plant growing in a nutrient goo. Its meant to hang off your cellphone strap and it's darn cute. Part of me wants to buy one, I think it's that same part of me that thought it would be fun to have one of those hermit crab necklaces...the ones with live hermit crabs in them.

But seriously folks, there's this thing called "Corporate Responsibility" and the world needs more of it. It means you don't get to stick unknown plants in a jar and sell them all over the world without thinking about what species they are and whether they could potentially be invasive, and whether you might be breaking the laws of all those countries you're offering to ship to if you sell said plants there. If those plants aren't invasive, then you should be informing us, the consumer, that you've gone and checked into it.

I've emailed dirty microbe to ask them if they know what species of plants those "blue leafy" and "pink leafy" ones are, so I can check what their origin is and whether they are invasive (in the US or anyplace else). If I find out anything more, I'll post it here.

Update: Whew! I decided to do some sleuthing and I just found this page from a Japanese company that seems to be selling the exact same product. The "leafy" plants appear to be...Orchids! Specifically, Cattleya and Oncidium. So these are likely just tissue cultured orchids (and cacti too). I feel better now. I still think dirty microbe needs to put that info on their website though.

Update 2: dirty microbe has the fastest, nicest customer support staff of any webstore I've ever contacted <3 <3 <3. They assured me the plants-in-a-jar were approved for import and they promised to look into exactly what plants they were. I can see other parts of their website where they have specifically responded to customer comments and that is promising. This is a good thing - we all benefit from being better informed about the things we "consume."

Update 3: Uh oh. I was perusing dirty microbe's ultra-cute site and I just found these micro-seaweed cellphone strap attachments - algae from Japan in an unsealed bottle. There are other online stores selling these little cellphone charms too. Now I am worried again. The algae listed are: Wolveryponica, Wolverineza, Wolveritusa, and Valornia. I think Valornia=Valonia, which is sometimes listed as a nuisance species...but who knows what species this is. The others seem to exist only as trade names, I will try to figure out what their scientific names are...

Update 4: dirtymicrobe.com has been really great about this. Customer Support let me know that they are very concerned about the possible negative environmental impacts of this and they have pulled the items from their catalog pending more information (they were out of stock and expected to arrive this April). Meanwhile, if you think you might know the identity of any of those algae, drop me an email (use the Suggest a Post link in the top left corner of this page).

Update 5: The strapya-world website has more information along with better close-up photos of the algae, which they say are cultivated in deep sea water (water from more than 200 meters (650ft) below sea level).

These Boots Are Made For Algae

Interesting story at stuff.co.nz about how footwear may be contributing the spread of the invasive freshwater alga known as didymo (Didymosphenia geminata, also known charmingly as "rock snot"). Apparently the felt-soled boots that have become popular among anglers are impossible to clean or disinfect in a way that assures they are algae-free. The cleaning products that anglers normally use cannot penetrate the felt properly, and the felt stays wet for a long time, allowing any embedded algae to survive.

While there is currently no legal regulation outlawing the use of felt-soled boots, freshwater anglers are being urged to switch to foam-soled ones that dry out faster and are easier to clean. As far as I can tell, the advantage of the felt soles is to prevent slipping, but IANAF so anyone who knows for sure should feel free to leave a comment.

Invasive Species Are Sexy?

I admit it, I was a little concerned when I noticed a site called Sexyloops.com linking to the ISW. No worries though - it's all about the flyfishing. Always good to see the angling aficionados taking an interest.

Update: As an anon commenter points out below, those fly fishers and anglers certainly do care about invasive species issues. Check out this post, this one and this one about the invasive freshwater algae known as Didymo.

Welcome to the Club

The recent discovery of two different non-native aquatic species in New Zealand waters has apparently thrown biosecurity officials for a loop. First came reports that the invasive alga known as didymo (Didymosphenia geminata, also known affectionately as "rock snot") was discovered in rivers at the northern part of the South Island. The ISW first reported about rock snot back in December 2004, when it was first discovered at the island's southern tip. Biosecurity New Zealand thinks the alga was introduced at least three years ago, and while they are instructing boaters on the best way to clean their equipment, they admit that the chances of eradicating didymo are small.

Now there are reports that New Zealand must contend with a new marine invader as well. According to this October 6th story from the National Business Review, an invertebrate known as the clubbed tunicate (Styela clava) has been found in two different harbors on the North Island (Note: the article mistakenly links to a US report about Didemnum, a completely different genus of sea squirt). A recent report from TVNZ.com states that the tunicate has also been found on a boat at Picton, which is on the northern tip of New Zealand's South Island. Scientists are now scrambling to assess the extent of the invertebrate's spread. The TVNZ page has links to video clips of news reports that are critical of the government's response to the crises, following the revelation that BZN knew about the presence of the tunicates for a month before they reported it to the public.

Didymomite!

The Leaf Chronicle is reporting that Didymo algae (Didymosphenia geminata) has been found east of the Mississippi River for the first time. Scientists for the Tennessee Valley Authority say there are thick mats of it in the Tennessee River, and no one's sure how it got there. No one's quite sure where it's from either: the species is been noted as being invasive in New Zealand, native in Canada, status uncertain in the U.S.

Rock Snot

New Zealand is having big troubles with didymo algae (Didymosphenia geminata). According to this article from stuff.co.nz, the freshwater algae is spreading in rivers in the southern part of the country. The government instigated a law back in 1993 fining fishermen who knowingly spread the algae, but that doesn't seem to have stopped its progression.

The article refers to the algae's North American name as "rock snot," though from what I can tell, that is just general slang for the slippery coating on any wet rock. Bonus points go to Stuff anyway, for using the algae's scientific name.

Adriatic Seized

The "killer algae" (Caulerpa taxifolia) and its lesser-known cousin C. racemosa are making their presence known in Croatia. According to this report from Reuters, large patches of the algae are showing up all over the Croatian side of the Adriatic Sea, threatening tourism as well as marine biodiversity. The two species apparently arrived in the area during the mid-1990s, and now cover hundreds of acres. Interested readers may also want to check out this article, translated from French by Google, about the same species.

Bonus points to Reuters for using scientific names.