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Zebra mussels
also compete with native organisms, particularly other mussels. They readily
encrust native North American mussels (family Unionidae). In Lakes St. Clair
and Erie, heavy fouling by zebra mussels has severely reduced populations of
native mussels. Some native mussel species are more tolerant to fouling than
others, but even for those resistant species, zebra mussel encrustation leads
to reduced energy reserves and vulnerability to other environmental
stressors, such as extreme water temperatures, lack of food, or parasites and
disease. As zebra mussels spread, biologists are concerned that populations
of native mussels will decline, and perhaps some of the rarer species may be
completely eliminated.
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