Name: Jonas Leichsenring

Email: h1e13@unb.ca

Author: Jonas Leichsenring*1 and Janice E. Lawrence1

Author affiliation: 1Department of Biology, University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, NB, Canada *Presenting author

Abstract title: Virus-Like Particles in Ship Ballast Destined for Canadian Ports

Absstract:

Despite their enormous abundance in marine systems, we are just starting to explore marine viral diversity, abundance, and distribution. This study compared virus-like particle (VLP) abundances in the North Atlantic and Pacific by means of ship ballast water, which is responsible for globally trans-locating approximately 3.5_1012 L of water per annum. We examined ballast water (n=119) destined to be discharged into Canadian ports that was exchanged in mid-oceanic and coastal waters (Atlantic and Pacific; >5? N) and unexchanged ballast from northern U.S. ports. In the Pacific, exchange did not affect VLP load compared to unexchanged ballast (P=1.000); overall, abundances in ballast were lower than in Canadian ports of destination (P<0.020). In the Atlantic, only ballast exchanged in mid-ocean contained significantly fewer VLP than the ports of destination (P=0.0018). Changes in VLP abundance during three voyages to Canada, two from Japan and one from Europe, were highly variable. During one voyage abundance did not change between the time of ballast exchange and discharge in Canada, whereas in another, abundance increased at a rate of 9.6x105 day-1 and in a third it decreased at a rate of 1x106 day-1 (P=0.8682, 0.0201, and 0.0232 respectively). In summary, viral abundance and dynamics in ballast are highly variable with respect to total VLP. Further research will need to address specific viral types.