The New Zealand Mudsnail is a very small invertebre that has the potential of causing big problems. The animal is only about 3-5 millimeters in length. However, a single snail is capable of producing a colony of 40 million in only 1 year. The New Zealand Mudsnail is mostly in the western states including California, Idaho, Montana, Utah and many others. It is believed to impact the food chain for the native trout. In some rivers and streams, the mudsnail makes up to 95% of the invertabre biomass and could blanket a stream’s bottom. This could reduce the insect species diversity by killing the insect eggs that share the bottom of the river floor.
The NewZealand Mudsnail infestation may have been helped by fishermen and hikers. As the cross the streams, the people could pick up the animal on their boots and clothes. They then travel to another body of water where the mudsnail drops off and starts to thrive. As of the present, there are very few ways to eradicate this invasive species. Chemicals could affect other life forms that live in the same area as the New Zealand Mudsnail and physical removal would only aid in transporting the eggs. For now, the best solution is to prevent the spread of the snails. This is being done by the US National Park Service, who are increasing awarness of these critters and the threat that they pose to aquatic ecosystems.
It seems that trout in particular have been very vulnerable to aquatic invasive species. Your example along with the Didymo have been hurting the trout population across North America. Would it seem unreasonable to focus in one species who are most vulnerable to AIS? Perhaps if we do not, perhaps trout populations will begin to gravely diminish throughout America.