How do ballast water foreign species affect ecosystems?
A. When alien species enter into an ecosystem, they can disrupt the natural balance, reduce biodiversity, degrade habitats, alter native genetic diversity, transmit exotic diseases to native species, and further jeopardize endangered plants and animals. In addition, when there are no established natural controls, such as predators to keep the non-native, harmful species in check, there can be a population explosion of the invasive non-native species, causing an ecological catastrophe.
