5 Things You Need to Know About the Great Lakes' Invasive Species Surge
* **The Lamprey is Back with a Vengeance:** After decades of successful control, sea lamprey populations have exploded in Lakes Michigan and Huron, threatening a multi-billion-dollar fishing industry. Experts blame warmer waters and shifting chemical treatments.
* **A Tiny Shrimp is Causing a Massive Food Web Collapse:** The spiny water flea has reached record densities in Lake Ontario, clogging fishing lines and outcompeting native plankton, which is starving young fish like walleye and perch.
* **Algae Blooms Now Smell Like Sewage in Summer:** A new, toxic variety of cyanobacteria is turning parts of western Lake Erie into a neon-green slime pit, releasing a foul odor that has driven tourists away from popular beaches.
* **The Carp Threat is No Longer a 'Maybe':** Scientists confirmed the first environmental DNA sample of a silver carp within 10 miles of Lake Michigan's electric barrier, indicating the invasive fish is closer to entering the lake than ever before.
* **Climate Change is Supercharging the Invasion:** Warmer winters are failing to kill off invasive mussels and plants. This has created a perfect storm, allowing non-native species to survive and reproduce year-round, altering the Great Lakes ecosystem permanently.