Tiny but Powerful: the Suberabundant, Invasive, New Zealand Mud Snail.
A New Zealand mud snail Source: NBC As a research assistant for the Center for Watershed Sciences at UC Davis, I see firsthand what invertebrates fill Northern California waterways. Freshwater invertebrates are important indicators of water quality because they are extremely sensitive to conditions such as water temperature, oxygen content, salinity, and nutrients. The presence or absence of a certain species could have varying implications for the true concern of conservationists: fish. Salmon and trout rely on these waterways for their survival, and changes in the water quality can devastate their populations, both directly and indirectly through the abundance of invertebrates: their major food source. A mayfly larva (Ephemeroptera), a common group in rivers and streams. Source: Landcare Research Fishermen likely already realize the importance of these freshwater invertebrates, as many fly fishing baits are designed to mimic the appearance of common prey for fish. Bel