Coastal marine animals have colonized the open sea and settled in plastic debris. In this respect informs University of Hawaii at Manoa.
Plastic pollution is one of the most serious environmental problems. Most types of plastic do not decompose for centuries, and once they enter the water, they can float on the surface or in the water column as rivers gradually carry garbage into the ocean.
Now American scientists have discovered an unexpected neutral “side effect” of plastic pollution. Linsey Haram examined the plastic litter on the surface and found that more than 70 percent of the plastic litter they examined contained coastal marine animals of various classes. Additionally, the wreck contained more coastal species than offshore species. A total of 105 plastic samples collected during the 2018 and 2019 voyages in the North Pacific were examined by The Ocean Cleanup.
“We were extremely surprised to find 37 different species of invertebrates that normally live in coastal waters that not only survive on plastic but also reproduce,” Haram said. “We were also impressed by how easily coastal species colonized new floating objects, including our own tools.”
Scientists have observed that coastal organisms can now reproduce, grow and survive in the open seas, creating a new community that did not exist before.
Previously, biologists confirmed that moths have “tails.” work as bait for bats.