Studying invasive starry stonewort

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Starry Stonewort (Nitellopsis obtusa) is an invasive macroalgae that was found in Erie County in 2020 at Burnt Ship Creek on Grand Island. Native to Eurasia, starry stonewort forms dense mats along the sediment surface.

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A map of sampling locations with representative bulbils marking each site, along with neighboring number that corresponds with the site name. There is starry stonewort at Burnt Ship Creek, Braddock Bay, Keuka Lake, Cayuga Lake, and Cazenovia Lake in 2021.

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Starry stonewort found persisting beneath over a foot of ice and snow in Braddock Bay near Rochester, NY.

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Starry stonewort and associated rhizoids found within anthropogenic debris at Burnt Ship Creek on Grand Island, NY.

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Mouth of Burnt Ship Creek, the creek on Grand Island where starry stonewort was discovered in August 2020.

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A monoculture of starry stonewort found just beneath the surface of the water near the source of the Keuka Lake Outlet.

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A handful of starry stonewort removed from the Keuka Lake Outlet near a public boat launch.

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A glob of starry stonewort wrapped around a paddle, within Yanty Creek Marsh at Hamlin Beach State Park.

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Mats of green algae and duckweed building up on the surface of the water, being facilitated by the heavy presence of starry stonewort just beneath the surface in Yanty Creek Marsh.

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A handful of starry stonewort pulled from Cazenovia Lake, to the southeast of Syracuse, NY.

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Graduate student Alexander Krest having a good time while walking through the muck at Braddock Bay, during sampling efforts.

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A benefit of field work is being able aid in management activities by reporting other invasive species present in the area such as water chestnut (shown here in Braddock Bay).

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A sign found at the boat launch of the Penn Yan Recreation Area, informing boaters of the presence of starry stonewort nearby.

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The scenery of beautiful Cazenovia Lake.

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The versatile paddleboard proved to be a more than suitable means of transportation for solo sample collection, and is seen here after collecting the 50th sample.

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Starry stonewort viewed from underwater.

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A sediment core taken from Braddock Bay, when investigating overwintering bulbil density.

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The namesake stellate bulbil of starry stonewort (viewed under microscope).

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A collection of amphipods from the preliminary survey efforts (viewed under microscope).

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A group of damselfly nymphs that were collected during the preliminary surveys (viewed under microscope).

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Sorting vegetation in the lab.

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Anthropogenic debris removed from Burnt Ship Creek during an observational field outing.