Quagga mussel alarm

Small mollusc causes millions in damage

It is an invasive species and has a successful reproduction program: the quagga mussel. In Lake Constance, it will soon cause millions in damage. Krone+ explains why the mussel has come to stay and in which Austrian lakes it is up to mischief.

The quagga mussel, originally introduced from the Black Sea region, feels right at home in Lake Constance - which is why it is reproducing at breathtaking speed. What is good for the invasive species is bad for all other players in Lake Constance: the ecosystem will change massively as a result of the mass colonization of the mussel - and in some cases has already done so. Fish and fishermen will come under pressure - and last but not least, the mollusc will also cause damage to the lake's infrastructure.