Negative Effects on EcosystemMute Swans feed on large quantities of “submerged aquatic vegetation” or “SAV" (also known as sea grass).
Mute swans are known for their large appetites and all year round presence, which causes severe reductions in aquatic vegetation. Their consumption of SAV puts a huge amount of pressure on ecosystems. Fish and other marine life that depend on these plants for nourishment or shelter are negatively affected by mute swan populations. Mute swans pose major threats to ecosystems. Their main source of food is aquatic plants and a swan may consume up to eight pounds of sea grass in a day. This limits the resources of other marine life that are native species. Because mute swans are an invasive species, they can cause competition for resources, which disrupts the natural cycle of ecosystems. Mute swans can also negatively affect ecosystems due to their tendency to act territorial and aggressive towards other species of wetland birds. Mute swan's behavior can drive native water birds out of their natural habitats. Males can get especially aggressive when defending their nesting territories from potential threats. Mute swans can also be dangerous to pets and humans in the area. Especially when mute swans are nesting they can be extra territorial which makes waters often unusable to humans during the nesting and breeding periods. If a mute swan sees a human as a threat to its nesting territory, it will attack. They can be a threat to human safety. Mute swans also have the potential to transmit diseases to humans. They also contribute to water quality problems by defecting in the water. For example in Long Island, NY an excess of bacteria has been found in areas where there are large mute swan populations. Mute swans have a detrimental ecological impact on ecosystems throughout the world. They contribute to the reduction of SAV and disrupt ecosystems by driving native species out of their natural habitats. Also, their aggressiveness is dangerous to other animals and humans. |
A mute swan eating sea grass, which can severely disrupt natural food chains.
Submerged Aquatic Vegetation (SAV or sea grass).
Mute swans feeding.
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