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Conservation Science

Conservation Strategy - Conservation by Design

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The Nature Conservancy in Africa - Conservation in Africa

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Grass Carp  - Ctenopharyngodon idella

grass carp
Grass Carp© USDA

The grass carp is on the The Nature Conservancy's North Carolina's Worst Invasives List for the Coastal Plain.

 

Grass carp can have complicated effects on ecosystems. Impacts may include competition for food, interference with reproduction, removal of vegetation with subsequent loss of food and shelter for other species, enrichment of nutrient levels leading to algal blooms, reduction of water clarity and decreased oxygen levels.

 

Maximum size is reported as about 50 inches.

 

Grass carp are still sold as a biological control against nuisance aquatic plants in ponds and lakes. Although triploids are considered incapable of reproduction, some researchers have questioned the sterility of triploids.