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.... ... . . . ~,,;;c f-J ., Summny Report - SeEding Agents Group Novanber 8-12, 1976; Skywater H2t~ting c- T.he seeding agent group (Klein, Convener), Brown, Fletcher, Giordano, ~veaver, Eddy (USBR resource person) approached the prOblem given to the \\Orkshop by identifying issue":'raising groups, the issues they raised, and by asking the question: M1at is our response as scientists to the existence of this issue? This latter question was asked to allow us to be confronted with these questions in tl',_= future. As a final prcxiuct, the group developed a chart relating 6t.~er poss~le seErling agents which might be used, with issues which could be raised concerning t..~eir applications. As a final prcx:1uct, a series of recorrnreOOa- tions Here developed regarding future research priorities in this area. The an~lysis of issue-raising groups and the issues that they might raise (together with an evaluation of the PJssible intensity of concern) is given 1.'1. Figure 1. Generally, the lay public and scientists appeared to differ in the types of issues with wtUch they were strongly concerned. '1'11e public was felt to be more concerned atout items vlhich were directly visible and for which less scientific concern existed, while the scientists were perhaps rrore conc(~rned ab::>ut the rrore subtle aspects of riletals in the environrrent which the lay public might have little av.'CITeness of. For each of the 22 issues 1,lhich vlere felt to be of concern, the following recomnendations were made by the \'~rkshop IT'8-nbe:rs. Issue 1: Direct 'Ibxicity of Silver (. This issue has the highest priority with respect to lay public groups not familiar with !TOre recent research fWinas. The tasks force feels that this issue poses no real threat resed on our c~rent state of infownation. The reason for the differences in ratings is due to the time it takes tech- nical inforrration to travel framthe researcher to the lay public. The questions regarding responses of individual micro flora and fauna COI1lp:)n- ents need further research, but if effects are observed, these are expected to be subtle and to resllI t in minor changes in the functioning of less visible canponents of an impacted ecosystem. Recommendations Continued-lmv-level intensity rronitoring of test ecosystems where seeding agents have been imp:>sed (soil test plots, aquatic environments high in silver) is recorrmel1ded. The general Iredical literature on silver toxicity in organisms and biochEmical levels should continue to be rronitored. Regarding fish, domestic and game anirrals, the general concensus of this group is that no significant effects of SeedD:lg agents have been detected in the past, in spite of intensive research which has been carried out. Issue 2: Effects of Seeding Agents on Game Animals At present seeding agent use rates and concentrations, seeding agents are unlikely to be detrirr.ental to game anima.ls. Our conclusion is based on the c . --.-, '<"'