Distribution and status of marine invasive species in and bordering the West Coast National Park

Abstract

On a global scale, species are constantly being moved from their areas of origin to new locales. Such range extensions can occur naturally, but are frequently aided (intentionally or non-intentionally) by humans (Mack et al. 2000). As a result, the marked world-wide increase in animal, plant, and microbial immigrations, has been found to roughly track the increase in human commerce (Mack et al. 2000). The principal vectors of human-mediated marine invasions are ballast water (Williams et al. 1988), mariculture (Minchin 1996), sediment held in ballast tanks (Carlton 1985), and ship hull fouling (Minchin 1996).