Effective or futile – mechanical removal of nonnative species

Authors: David Rogowski

Year: 2023

Abstract

Aquatic invasive species are an ever-increasing problem. Prevention is the best management policy for nonnative species. However, humans are a reactionary species and prevention is not funded nor enacted at levels that are adequate. As a society we spend billions to respond to fires but comparatively little to prevent those fires in the first place. Similarly, with aquatic invasive species, most effort has been responding to invasions instead of preventing invasions in the first place. In many cases upon detection of new aquatic invasive species the response of agencies has been mechanical removal, as it is one of the few tools in our toolbox. However, in a large river such as the Colorado River, is mechanical removal effective?