The 100th Meridian Initiative in Nevada: An Assessment of the Potential Transport and Colonization of Zebra Mussels in the Lake Mead National Recreation Area.

The purpose of the study was to assess the potential movement of the zebra mussel, Dreissena polymorpha, west of the 100th meridian, to educate people regarding the risks zebra mussels pose to ecosystems, and to collect data about the boats and trailers entering the Lake Mead National Recreation Area (LMNRA). Personal interviews and surveys were used to track boaters that entered the Lake Mead National Recreation Area.

In 1988, the US Fish and Wildlife Services (USFWS) initiated the 100th Meridian Initiative Project to track, document, and prevent the introduction of invasive species, specifically the zebra mussel to western waters. The 100th meridian runs through Manitoba (Canada), North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has identified the 100th Meridian as a guideline for where the zebra mussels' westward movement has currently stopped. In states west of the 100th meridian there is a potential for the mussel’s migration, this project as part of a nationwide study, will specifically determine the potential for zebra mussels to be introduced into these waters.

For more information regarding the Zebra Mussel and the 100th Meridian Initiative, please visit the following web site: http://100th meridian.org

Faculty:
Shawn Gerstenberger

Undergraduate Students:
Megan McCoy
Sherri Powell
Carol Lane

Department of Environmental and Occupational Health : Office BHS 510
Phone: (702) 895-5420 : Fax: (702) 895-5573
School of Public Health : University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Copyright 2005 School of Public Health, UNLV