IMAGES

Current Projects

1) Hull fouling as a mechanism of introduction of species: We will assess the importance of hull fouling as a mode of invasive species introduction to the Great Lakes and to ports in eastern and western Canada, 13 ships were sampled on the Great Lakes in 2007, with additional samples to be collected in 2008 in the Great lakes and full sampling to occur on the coasts. To date, virtually no information exists on introduction of species via this mechanism to the Great Lakes or coastal ports of Canada.

2) Ballast water treatment: We are testing the efficacy of NaCl brine as a treatment for ballast water to inhibit the spread of invasive species.

3) We are interested in projects designed to explore invasion theory, particularly that regarding colonization of new species. We develop hierarchical models of invasion based upon propagule pressure, environmental tolerance, and community interactions. These models will be applied to invasive species currently colonizing Canada (e.g. waterfleas, molluscs) and those that potentially could come in.

4) Genetic structure of invading species. We use molecular markers (mtDNA, microsatellites) to assess genetic composition of invaders established in Canadian waters and compare these patterns to putative source populations (usually in Eurasia). We are interested in determining source: destination relationships, the relative diversity of invaders vs. sources (i.e. existence of invasive genotypes or founder effects), and differences in genetic structure of different invasive populations.