The Zebra Mussel in Europe

The Zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha) is one of worlds most successful invasive species. Originating from the Ponto-Caspian region, it spread all over Europe and crossed over to North America via the ocean. Wherever it has spread, it made its presence felt with tremendous ecological and economic impact. To make matters worse, the species is still expanding its geographical range. Although there is a stream of information concerning the zebra mussel and its relatives, a recent up-to-date book summarizing the newest information on the zebra mussel was lacking. The present book is expected to fill this gap. It deals with all aspects of the zebra mussel and some of its relatives, varying in its content from taxonomy and phylogeny, to fossil and recent species, distribution and dispersal, genetics, food, growth and life history, ecology and ecological impact, endosymbionts, parasites, predation, use as indicator for water quality and for water quality improvement and biofouling and control. A large number of experts on these subjects wrote contributions for this book varying from reviews to very recent findings. The book is a must for everybody dealing with water quality management, biofouling mitigation, biological invasions, nature conservation, and ecology and biology of bivalves. It is a must buy for any modern library.