The zebra mussel, a mollusk native to Eurasia, was first discovered in the Great Lakes of North America in 1988. Zebra mussels attach to solid substrates and are filter feeders. Adult zebra mussels can survive for several days or even weeks out of water if the temperature and humidity are favorable. An adult female zebra mussel can produce as many as one million eggs per year. The recent range of occurrence of zebra mussels in the United States is indicated by shading in the map.
A. Why are zebra mussels located primarily in areas in the eastern United States rather than in the western United States?
B. How are zebra mussels introduced into isolated lakes? Describe one viable method for preventing the spread of zebra mussels into isolated lakes.
C. Identify and explain one impact that zebra mussels can have on aquatic ecosystems.
D. Identify another invasive species, either terrestrial or aquatic, and describe one negative impact it has had.
E. One strategy for controlling an invasive species has been to introduce another non-native species to control it; this strategy can often have un-intended results. Give a specific example of the use of this strategy and discuss a negative impact of introducing a non-native species to control an invasive species.
F. Discuss two specific characteristics of invasive species that enable them to thrive in new environments.

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Explanation:

A. Zebra mussels are located in the areas of the United States that they were introduced to but it continues to spread across the US as time progresses.

B. Since the Zebra mussels can attach itself to solid surfaces, boats are no exceptions. They are able to go a few days out of water which gives them enough time to remain attached until a boater takes the vessel to another lake or isolated body of water.

C. Since these are filter feeders they are growing without a natural predator since they are an invasive specie. They feed on the algae in the water and use up almost all of this food supply and makes resources for other native specie (fish) that depend on this food source to die out.

D. Burmese pythons in the Florida everglades are an invasive specie. The prey on endangered species, have no real predator and have voracious feeding habits that affect the numbers in the animal population.  

E. Non- native mongoose was introduced on Jamaica to control the snake population. The problem with introducing a non native specie would be that this new organism is also without a natural predator. After the target specie has been eliminated it may try to feed on other animals in the ecosystem as well.    

F. Invasive species need to adapt to weather conditions and should be able to hunt/acquire its food in order to survive in its new environment.

seen below

Explanation:

1)Zebra mussels are located in the areas of the United States because they were introduced in the eastern US but it continues to spread across the US as time goes by.

B. Since the Zebra mussels can attach itself to solid surfaces, boats are no exceptions. This mussels are able to go a few days out of water which gives them enough time to remain attached until the vessel is taken to another isolated body of water or lake.

C. The competition from zebra mussels for available resources leads to decreased populations of other species, for example they feed on the algae in the water and use up almost all of the food supply, making other native specie (fish) that depend on this food source to die out.

D. Rats are a common example of an invasive species that has led to the spread of diseases across the country.  

E. Mongoose have been introduced to hunt rats but have led to the predation of nontarget species after target species have been eliminated.

F. 2 specific characters of invasive species includes;

1) frequent reproduction, increasing their population.

2) excellent dispersal mechanisms which allows them to thrive in new environment.

as the gila monster consumes the eggs or young of the desert cottontail and gambel's quail, thus its main food supply is only accessible for a restricted time duration every year. however, for this, the gila monsters exhibit three adaptations, which elevate their survival rate in the desert condition.  

first, is that they possess huge bodies, and can consume greater concentrations of food during a small period. secondly, they require to feed infrequently as they can accumulate fat in their tails. ultimately, their rate of metabolism is very low, so that they can burn their reservoirs of fat gradually.  

in 1859, charles darwin set out his theory of evolution by natural selection as an explanation for adaptation and speciation. he defined natural selection as the "principle by which each slight variation [of a trait], if useful, is preserved".