Millions of gallons of water are moved from lakes, reservoirs, and rivers via canals, pipelines, and tunnels. These huge transfers of water take place around the world every day to meet agricultural, business, and personal needs.
However, scientists have uncovered a hidden cost to moving vast quantities of untreated water across great distances: invasive species coming along for the ride.
What's happening?
Transferring water from one locale to another is nothing new; it has happened for thousands of years. The only thing that has changed is the scale of the practice. In Britain, raw water transfers (RWT) move 45-150 liters of water daily. The problem is that RWTs lack proper regulation and surveillance against the risk of invasive species.
|
Do you worry about air pollution in and around your home? Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. |
Yes — always 💯 Lead researcher Ava Waine of Newcastle University's School of Natural and Environmental Sciences explained: "Raw water transfers move invasive species around between different environments, but researchers in the invasion ecology field are only now becoming mindful of the extent of their impact, and industry and regulators aren't yet fully aware of the invasion risk or how to manage it."
Why is preventing invasive species important?
Invasive species pose a major threat to local biodiversity. They can overuse resources and destroy habitats, causing native populations to decline or even go extinct. Because of an ecosystem's delicate balance, an invasive species endangers the rest of the environment when even one plant or animal is removed from it.
The study found that two particularly problematic species could be spread: the zander fish and the zebra mussel. Both are included in what British Waterways describes as "the dirty dozen" species most likely to harm local wildlife. Zebra mussels, native to southern Russia and Ukraine, are among the most invasive aquatic species in the world.
What's being done about it?
The researchers have called for further study and a proper recognition of the risks posed by RWTs.
The study's co-author, Dr Zarah Pattison, Senior Lecturer in Plant Sciences at the University of Stirling, said: "This is a call to action. We need to take the risk of invasive and non-native species spread through raw water transfers seriously and invest in research to determine the severity of this risk for all taxonomic groups of species."
Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Cool Picks
