Invertebrate Resting Eggs - An Unaddressed Secondary Aquatic InvasionVector

The introduction of aquatic species in resting life stages by the  release of ballast water is a less well-known but potentially  important invasive species vector. Best management practices designed  to minimize transport of ballast water cannot eliminate this threat  because residual water and sediment are retained in ballast tanks  after draining. Prior to this project, ballast water treatment  technologies being tested by various groups in the United States and  elsewhere were not evaluated for effectiveness against resting   stages.  This project has: 1) tested the effect of various biocide treatments  on the viability of a variety of zooplankton resting eggs, and is the  first study to examine the acute toxicity of chemical and physical  biocidal treatments on aquatic invertebrate resting stages. This  project addresses our ability to interdict new species introductions  through ballast tank treatments, especially in NOBOB tanks.   Society  is slowly moving towards active management of unintentional species  transport and introduction to new ecosystems, and the potential for  species introduction is no longer limited to understanding the  interplay of natural processes such as life cycle characteristics and  anthropogenic vectors such as the ships' ballast water.  Active  intervention in the process, for example through treatment of ballast  tanks, will decrease the likelihood of successful new species  introductions and spread.