5 ms·

I don't understand the title.

by lgrebe 7y ago

credit_guy 7y ago
It's a bit difficult to parse. Zebra mussels colonized the Lake Erie at a time when it was so polluted that it had been declare biologically dead. In particular this happened: "Some of my readers may remember media stories from 1969, when the Cuyahoga River, which flows into Lake Erie, caught fire one hot summer day—yes, it had that much toxic waste in it."
- devoply 7y ago
  Yes and yet humans hate zebra mussels and label them an invasive species because they are an economic menace screwing with pipes and ship hulls and costing billions of dollars of economic damage.
  - kingosticks 7y ago
    What happens to a boat hull if you don't clear the mussels off? Do they actually damage it or does it just look unsightly?
    - Someone 7y ago
      Its not about the looks. It significantly decreases top speed and fuel efficiency. https://www.simarine.net/protection-ships-hulls-fouling-corrosion/ https://www.simarine.net/protection-ships-hulls-fouling-corr...: ”The fouling of the vessel is the main reason for the increase in the roughness of the part of the vessel below sea level and therefore the increase in hull frictional resistance as it moves through water. As a result fuel consumption increases and vessel speed decreases. The slime (bio film – silt) on the submerged part of the vessel is responsible for an increase in vessel drag of approximately 2%. Seaweed increases the vessel drag by 10% and mussels by up to 40%. Increase in drag will directly impact on enhanced fuel consumption and significantly increased harmful gas emissions.”
    - pvaldes 7y ago
      Will block the ballast water system (entry and exit). Will interfere with any bail water operation. Will increase the often huge fuel bill (more resistence to move in water). Will damage and increase friction in moving parts of the propeller. Will block water cooling systems putting the engine in risk. Will increase painting and cleaning bills. Will scratch rubber buoys that will need to be replaced faster. Will significatively ease bioincrustation by bigger animals And of course it cuts human skin
    - tw04 7y ago
      It's not just boats. These invaded the river I grew up on and I was fortunate enough to step on one while wading. It cut me bad enough I probably should have had stitches. While they may be good for cleaning a lake/river, they make it completely useless for swimming/wading without sturdy footwear
- inferiorhuman 7y ago
  Didn't the Cuyahoga catch fire a few times back then? … I just checked, the Wikipedia article opens with a statement claiming it's caught fire thirteen times. To say that the Cuyahoga river was polluted is a pretty dramatic understatement.
dang 7y ago
The submitted title was "Zebra Mussels Colonised Lake Erie, So Polluted It Caught Fire". We changed it to try to represent the article more clearly.
deleted 7y ago
[deleted]

I don't understand the title.

by lgrebe 7y ago

I don't understand the title.

It's a bit difficult to parse. Zebra mussels colonized the Lake Erie at a time when it was so polluted that it had been declare biologically dead. In particular this happened: "Some of my readers may remember media stories from 1969, when the Cuyahoga River, which flows into Lake Erie, caught fire one hot summer day—yes, it had that much toxic waste in it."

devoply 7y ago
Yes and yet humans hate zebra mussels and label them an invasive species because they are an economic menace screwing with pipes and ship hulls and costing billions of dollars of economic damage.
- kingosticks 7y ago
  What happens to a boat hull if you don't clear the mussels off? Do they actually damage it or does it just look unsightly?
  - Someone 7y ago
    Its not about the looks. It significantly decreases top speed and fuel efficiency. https://www.simarine.net/protection-ships-hulls-fouling-corrosion/ https://www.simarine.net/protection-ships-hulls-fouling-corr...: ”The fouling of the vessel is the main reason for the increase in the roughness of the part of the vessel below sea level and therefore the increase in hull frictional resistance as it moves through water. As a result fuel consumption increases and vessel speed decreases. The slime (bio film – silt) on the submerged part of the vessel is responsible for an increase in vessel drag of approximately 2%. Seaweed increases the vessel drag by 10% and mussels by up to 40%. Increase in drag will directly impact on enhanced fuel consumption and significantly increased harmful gas emissions.”
  - pvaldes 7y ago
    Will block the ballast water system (entry and exit). Will interfere with any bail water operation. Will increase the often huge fuel bill (more resistence to move in water). Will damage and increase friction in moving parts of the propeller. Will block water cooling systems putting the engine in risk. Will increase painting and cleaning bills. Will scratch rubber buoys that will need to be replaced faster. Will significatively ease bioincrustation by bigger animals And of course it cuts human skin
  - tw04 7y ago
    It's not just boats. These invaded the river I grew up on and I was fortunate enough to step on one while wading. It cut me bad enough I probably should have had stitches. While they may be good for cleaning a lake/river, they make it completely useless for swimming/wading without sturdy footwear
inferiorhuman 7y ago
Didn't the Cuyahoga catch fire a few times back then? … I just checked, the Wikipedia article opens with a statement claiming it's caught fire thirteen times. To say that the Cuyahoga river was polluted is a pretty dramatic understatement.

dang 7y ago

The submitted title was "Zebra Mussels Colonised Lake Erie, So Polluted It Caught Fire". We changed it to try to represent the article more clearly.

deleted 7y ago

[deleted]