Scientists Warn Of Disappearance Of Native Species In Tahoe

Environmentalists and politicians will converge on Lake Tahoe next week for the Lake Tahoe Summit. In the run-up to the annual event, scientists are warning about the rapid decline of some native species and the disappearance of others. 

Native species in Lake Tahoe are disappearing fast according researchers at the University of Nevada Reno. This week scientists said 9 of 10 native worms, mites, shrimp and flies have declined between 34 and 99 percent over the past 50 years. Native fish species declined nearly 60 percent. Associate Professor of Lymnology, Sudeep Chandra says the biology of the lake is changing rapidly.

“I literally mean loosing the loss of life of particular types that are only found in Lake Tahoe and on the planet.”

Chandra says these are mostly very hearty species, but some have already been lost and the trend is likely to continue. There are two reasons. Non-native species are feeding on the natives and increased presence of algae. While the combination may be killing 9 out of 10 native species, the algae growth is helping one. The number of Pea Clams in Lake Tahoe have increased 230 percent.