Very interesting Research by UW-Student.
Are zebra mussels unfairly shelled? Student’s research suggests so
Meder, who teamed up with UW Oshkosh College of Business Economics Professor Marianne Johnson, launched his deep dive into the data of zebra mussels in 2012. After spending hundreds of hours analyzing Integrated Property Assessment System (IPAS) data from the state for properties on more than 400 lakes in 17 northern and northeastern Wisconsin counties, Meder reached a conclusion.
… And probably not the one you’d expect.
“If there is an impact, it’s clearly not negative,” Meder said. “We find that property values generally are higher on lakes with zebra mussels.”
Higher? With zebra mussels? The aquatic invader Wisconsin has learned to loathe?
“Some research has shown that they disadvantaged some unpopular fish species,” Meder said. “They blanket the bottom of the lake bed so carp can’t feed… If they can’t get past zebra mussels, they can’t eat. So, they are disadvantageous for carp. They also seem to be advantageous to fish species that people like, like smallmouth bass. They tend to help those populations out a fair amount. They increase the water clarity of the lake, and they remove pollutants that are suspended in the water at an increased rate… which makes lakes safer to swim in if they weren’t previously.”
Meder said his research doesn’t address the causation, but “with statistical certainty, I can say that zebra mussels are associated with an approximately 10 percent increase in lakefront property prices.”
Are zebra mussels unfairly shelled? Student’s research suggests so {link}
Just some snippets from article, but very interesting, enough to get me to read the whole thing.
