Charlottetown, P.E.I. -  At the University of P.E.I., researcher Sarah Stewart-Clark's work with tunicates, one of the ocean's most diverse and abundant invertebrate species, is helping AIS experts across the globe identify uninvited guests in their respective aquatic ecosystems.

That the foreign species are problematic to the survival of native aquatic species in well known. The obstacle is finding which ones should be of concern given that identification through physical traits alone has proven difficult, if not impossible.

That's where Sarah and her UPEI-based International Tunicate DNA Bank prove invaluable as a depository for DNA samples from around the world and a reliable source for colleagues working to solve the tunicate crisis in their own waters, whether domestic or non-domestic.

"We house tunicate DNA samples from around the world," explains Sarah. "CAISN helped us develop this resource, and their researchers are substantial contributors to the bank."

As CAISN's initial series of projects begins to wind down, Sarah hopes to continue working with her colleagues at CAISN, hopefully in the beneficial dynamic that only an organized network can provide.

"I'm not sure how we can keep funding the International Tunicate DNA Bank, but I know that it is a really important resource for our region to have,"  Sarah stresses.  "When new invasions occur, we already have samples here from other parts of the world to compare the foreign species to. Without the collaborations and samples from the CAISN network, work like this would not be possible at such an efficient speed. This is the strength of the network."