Aquatic invasive species pose a major threat to all bodies of water, and the natural diversity that live in these ecosystems. Human activity is an important contributor to the spread of aquatic invasive species, often due to the improper cleaning of equipment/watercrafts that move between bodies of water.
In a recently published review, Queen's Biology MSc Candidate Shrisha Mohit, Professor Dr. Shelley Arnott, and Dr. Timothy Johnson (Aquatic Research and Monitoring Section, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry) examined studies that evaluated the effectiveness of decontamination measures (rinsing watercrafts with hot water, pressure-washing, and air-drying) for preventing the spread of aquatic invasive species.
Mohit et al. determined that all three decontamination measures can be effective; however, the effectiveness of the treatment depended on which aquatic invasive species were involved. Regardless of species, washing with hot water was more effective than air-drying, even though most studies test air-drying methods. Although washing with hot water seems to be very effective compared to air-drying, there was still a lot of variation in the test conditions and techniques among the studies assessing these two measures of decontamination. The authors conclude that there is presently no consensus on which decontamination methods and conditions have both the best efficacy against a diversity of species and is also easy for recreational boaters to implement.
To learn more, read their article in Management of Biological Invasions.
