It’s a tiny creature, but it’s a powerful force in the ecosystem. The Spiny Waterflea’s impact on the food web is significant. It’s a primary consumer, meaning it eats algae and other microscopic organisms.
This can disrupt the food web and lead to a cascade of negative consequences for the invasive species. Spiny waterfleas are also known to compete with native fish for food and habitat. This can lead to a decline in native fish populations and a shift in the ecosystem. Spiny waterfleas can also spread diseases and parasites to native fish and other aquatic organisms. Spiny waterfleas can also impact the water quality of lakes by altering the physical and chemical properties of the water.
