Researchers observed various coastal species thriving, surviving, and reproducing on floating plastic debris, resulting in the formation of a new type of ecosystem.
The researchers examined 105 pieces of debris collected between November 2018 and January 2019. Reproduction record of various types of coastal invertebrates in plastic habitats was also found. The plastic debris included fishing nets, ropes, and bottles, as perTiny crabs, sea anemones, white bryozoa, hydroids, shrimplike amphipods, Japanese oysters, and mussels were among the species found surviving in the plastic patch.
“Our results suggest that the historical lack of available substrate limited the colonization of the open ocean by coastal species, rather than physiological or ecological constraints as previously assumed. It appears that coastal species persist now in the open ocean as a substantial component of a neopelagic community sustained by the vast and expanding sea of plastic debris,” stated the research paper.
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