Didymo at Taney!

[snagged in outlet 3]

Hey Phil.

I was down staying and fishing out of your place Friday the 13th to Sunday the 15th. I never got to tell you that I found didymo in the KOA hole. I didn't see it anywhere else but did see several strands while wading the north side, at the top end of the KOA area. I didn't think any had been reported in Taney. Is this the first you have heard of it? That stuff really ruined the area below Bull Shoals dam on the White River.

Snagged.

[KRflyfisher]

I have never heard of didymo, mind givin me a little education?

KR

[Phil Lilley]

I'm ashamed to say I don't know much about it either. Fox Statler dwelt on it in a past post I think on the White River Forum - I saw it someplace. He's done alot of reasearch on Didymo it sounds like.

I'll email Chis Vitello about the report.

[snagged in outlet 3]

Some call it rock snot. Very bad stuff. So you haven't had any repeort of it in Taney? There is a little article about it in the current issue of The Missouri Conservation Magazine.

Check this link.

http://p222.ezboard.com/fflyfishingarkansa...opicID=32.topic

Snagged.

[whatnext]

correct me if i read it wrong but it really does notheing to the fishing it just seems to me(how i took it, which could be way off) but it just seems to be a pain in the but to fish in. And also can it be transplanted by boats going from lake to lake

kirk

[Phil Lilley]

What I read is that it chokes off invertibrates (bugs) that the fish feed on thus hindering growth and eventually the numbers of fish.

It's not a good thing- whatever.

Transportation- I'd say it can be transported by boat or waders. We're talking about small spores (seeds).

[whatnext]

that makes total sence

[Phil Lilley]

Here's the response from MDC

Phil,

I am not aware of this algae having been found in Taneycomo to date.

However, I can't say that we have loooked either. We will check it

out.

I have pasted in some information from Mike Kruse and Craig Fuller

below.

Mike wrote:

It's known also known as "rock snot." Its an invasive algae that has

recently made an appearance in a variety of North American and New

Zealand trout waters. I did a google search and found a few items:

http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/living/13654884.htm

http://www.billingsgazette.com/index.php?i...on/75-algae.inc

Like most invasives, its real effect on native biota is unknown.

Craig wrote:

Historically, Didymosphenia geminata was a rare and beautiful diatom

restricted to pristine lakes and streams of northern latitudes. In

recent years, its reputation has been compromised. While the diatom is

still lovely, it is no longer rare. Didymosphenia geminata now forms

excessive growths in Boulder Creek, as well as many streams of western

North America. Didymosphenia geminata attaches to stream substrates by

secreting a stalk. In some streams, the stalks of D. geminata cover

almost all available substrates, forming dense mucilaginous mats up to

several centimeters in length.

The dense mats prevent the growth of other diatom species, which are an

important source of food for aquatic invertebrates. Associated with

increased populations of D. geminata is a decrease in abundance of

aquatic invertebrates. In turn, the species and availability of

invertebrates impacts fish at the next trophic level. There is reason to

be concerned about the negative impact of D. geminata on fisheries,

especially given the spread of the diatom across watershed boundaries.

What has changed to allow D. geminata to take on the characteristics of

an invasive species? Has the environment changed, or did an aspect of

the ecological tolerance of D. geminata itself change? Connections

between the features of the diatom (cell size, stalk composition), other

organisms (mayflies, stoneflies, midge larvae), and the physical

environment (stream flow, ultraviolet light, temperature, sediment) may

play a role in explaining the dense growths of this diatom and its

impacts at the watershed scale.

http://geology.cr.usgs.gov/crg/colloquia/2005/feb17.html

Chris Vitello

Fisheries Regional Supervisor

Missouri Department of Conservation

[KRflyfisher]

So what can be done? I do my best to make sure my waders are clean when I hit waters away from home, but is there something simple that could be done to ensure that someone doesn't transport this stuff to a new home?

[Wayne SW/MO]

I don't know if it would be possible, short using bleach, for this stuff. From what I can come up with, some of it could get into the felt on the boots, go dormant, and then revive when wetted again.