Twenty years of zebra mussels: lessons from the mollusk that made headlines

Abstract

In the 20 years since zebra mussels ( Dreissena polymorpha ) first appeared in North America, they have become one of our most widespread and abundant freshwater animals, and have fundamentally transformed freshwater food webs and biogeochemistry. Indeed, few human impacts on North American fresh waters have been greater or more far‐reaching than the arrival of this single species. Nevertheless, ecological research has been uneven, and important research questions remain unanswered, especially concerning the long‐term, large‐scale effects of the invasion. Economic impacts have also been incompletely estimated, although they already exceed $100 million. We know little about the extent to which large outreach programs about zebra mussels have changed public knowledge, attitudes, or behaviors, and there are still substantial gaps in policies to curb the establishment, spread, and impacts of species like zebra mussels. Scientific, educational, and policy responses to the zebra mussel invasion highlight our successes and limitations concerning alien species in general.