How can boats and trailers contribute to the spread of aquatic invasive species?

The choice indicating that boats and trailers can carry water and plant materials from infested areas to uninfested locations accurately addresses how invasive species are spread. When boats are launched or retrieved, water from an infested lake or river can remain in the bilge, livewells, or other compartments. Additionally, aquatic plants can cling to trailers or the exterior of boats. If this water or plant matter is then transported to a different body of water, it can introduce invasive species to new environments, potentially disrupting local ecosystems and harming native species.

This mechanism of spread is crucial to understanding the responsibilities of boaters, as they must implement practices such as cleaning, draining, and drying their equipment to mitigate the risk of spreading invasive species. The other options do not comprehensively capture the primary pathways through which boats and trailers contribute to the issue of invasive species spread.