New York covered 5 acres of Lake George with 700 mats; 97% clams died, but later spread to 27 sites

Representative Image (AI-generated) When invasive Asian clams were discovered in Lake George, New York, in 2010, researchers moved quickly to test whether covering the lakebed could stop the species from spreading. According to a final report by the Darrin Fresh Water Institute at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, published through the Lake Champlain Basin Program, a large-scale treatment was carried out in 2011 across five acres of infested lake bottom using benthic barrier mats. The treatment killed 97% of the Asian clams found in the treated area. But the result did not permanently eliminate the invasive species; subsequent surveys found Asian clams at 27 locations across Lake George, highlighting the difficulty of controlling an invasive species once it becomes established.How the Asian clam arrived in Lake GeorgeThe Asian clam, scientifically known as Corbicula fluminea, was first discovered in Lake George in August 2010. Researchers initially documented densities of as many as 600 clams per square metre across an area of roughly 2.5 acres. The species is a small freshwater bivalve that can reproduce without a mate, allowing even a small number of individuals to establish a po...