Golden Mussel Quiz

How long can a golden mussel grow?

• Up to 1 inch (2.5 centimeters)

• Up to 5 inches (12.7 centimeters)

• Up to 10 inches (25.4 centimeters)

• Up to 0.5 inches (1.27 centimeters)

What is one method officials use to control golden mussel populations?

• Introducing predators

• Using chemical drips

• Increasing water flow

• Lowering water temperature

What is the potential consequence of golden mussels disrupting the food chain?

• Increased fish populations

• Improved water quality

• Harm to local fish and ducks

• Enhanced plant growth

Where has the golden mussel's advance stalled?

• The Amazon River

• The Great Lakes

• The Pantanal wetlands system in western Brazil

• The Mississippi River

What is one way that mussels could be transported to new water bodies?

• By air

• By ballast water in ships

• By walking

• By swimming

What measure has Brazil's government taken to stop the golden mussel's progress?

• Banning all ships

• Requiring ships to empty ballast water 322 kilometers off the coast

• Using pesticides

• Building barriers in rivers

What is Marcela Uliano da Silva's proposed solution to prevent the mussels from reproducing?

• Building barriers in rivers

• Engineering a virus or another biological agent

• Using pesticides

• Banning all ships

How long does Marcela Uliano da Silva believe it will take to succeed in her efforts?

• One year

• Two years

• Four years

• Ten years

What does the word "diminutive" mean?

• Very large

• Very small

• Rapid increase

• Slow decrease

What does the word "proliferation" mean?

• A rapid increase in number or extent

• A slow decrease in number or extent

• A stable number or extent

• A moderate increase in number or extent