This project will assess the threat of starry stonewort to wild rice using empirical and modeling approaches and apply findings to Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe-led response efforts, supporting surveillance, outreach, and monitoring.
This project is designed to evaluate the impacts of starry stonewort (SSW) on wild rice and to support sound response efforts to protect affected stands. MAISRC researchers responded to the threat of SSW spread and its potential impacts on wild rice on the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe (LLBO) Reservation by leveraging findings from previous MAISRC research and supporting ongoing LLBO management efforts. The goals of this project were to improve surveillance for SSW within and across Reservation lakes, assess the impacts of SSW and its management on wild rice, and provide support for SSW surveillance and management. To achieve these objectives, the research team used data and models to better understand how aquatic invasive plants spread within and among lakes, prioritized surveillance efforts, monitored invaded wild rice beds to evaluate plant responses to SSW, collected data to assess effectiveness of diver-assisted suction harvesting (DASH), and provided training and outreach to LLBO community members and other stakeholders on identification, impacts, and reporting of SSW.
Research findings:
SSW continues to spread in Minnesota and poses a credible threat to native aquatic plants, including wild rice. This project advanced understanding of where SSW is likely to occur, its ecological overlap with wild rice, and what its presence may mean for wild rice habitat. Targeted surveillance across 51 public boat launches on the Leech Lake Reservation identified three new SSW infestations, demonstrating the value of focused monitoring guided by risk-assessment tools.
Field studies showed that although SSW is expanding slowly into wild rice habitat, its encroachment is measurable and associated with declines in native plant cover. Long-term monitoring quadrats and high-resolution plots positioned at invasion fronts show increases in SSW percent cover and biomass throughout the growing season. Ongoing analyses will clarify how these changes influence wild rice stem density, height, and productivity. Time-lapse cameras are also providing new insight into the seasonal growth patterns of both species, helping managers understand when and where competition may be strongest.
Beyond data collection, the project strengthened outreach and capacity building. Team members delivered training, engaged tribal and local communities, and shared early results through workshops, public events, and the AIS Detectors program. These efforts have improved regional readiness for SSW management and will support the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe and other Minnesota resource managers as they evaluate surveillance strategies and plan responses to this emerging aquatic invasive species.