Life always finds a way
In the Pacific Ocean, there's a massive "garbage patch" made up of floating plastics, and it's now home to a range of strange and dangerous new mixes of coastal and marine species. These new species could cause biological invasions and wreak havoc on nearby ecosystems.
In a new study, scientists fished out more than 100 pieces of plastic from the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, which is an area where ocean currents converge and deposit an estimated 79,000 metric tons of plastic debris. The scientists found 484 invertebrates from a range of species on the plastic, including coastal species like "moss animals" or bryozoans, jellyfish, sponges, worms, and other organisms.
The scientists also discovered insect-like arthropods tending to clutches of eggs, and anemones sprouting little clones of themselves, indicating that the relocation aided by plastic isn't necessarily temporary. The plastic in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch doesn't always stay there but can wash up on foreign beaches, where transplanted species can take root.
This is a significant warning call for us. We need to take dramatic, drastic steps to reduce the amount of plastic litter that goes into the ocean. If these new species can reproduce, then they can spread, and if they can spread, they can invade. #life #nature #recycle #universe