We all know that environmental pollution destroys ecosystems, but – for good or for worse – it creates them. Billions of tiny pieces of plastic that are currently drift in the oceans of the planet, represent just that – a new artificial ecosystem. Microbes and insects that are in in vivo would never end up in the middle of the ocean, suddenly found a new home in the wilds of this drifting plastic.
A photo from open sources
For example, the famous Pacific garbage spot is practically impossible to notice from the surface of the water – as it forms mostly tiny pieces of plastic hiding in her fatter. However, these barely noticeable pieces completely change oceanic ecosystem. For example, water riders found in it a paradise for its breeding. These water insects glide over water surface by eating plankton and laying eggs on a drifting garbage, which is becoming more and more – and with it grows and rider population.
A photo from open sources
The effect of explosive growth of the marine rider population will affect of the entire food chain – most likely favoring one organisms, and harming others. Is it good or bad? All, what we can say with confidence today is that the balance of the ocean ecosystem is likely to be upset.
Microbes also willingly settle in plastic piles, and thanks to them can make absolutely incredible land travel to the most center of the ocean. A study in 2013 described several species of microbes living in the plastosphere, and many of they are still unknown to science. It turned out to be especially numerous Vibrio population – a group of bacteria that includes pathogens cholera. Now scientists are working on clarifying the role of these found bacteria. “Every tiny bit of this ocean plastic – it’s a circle of life: the waste of one microbe is lunch for another, ” tells one of the authors of the study.
A photo from open sources
Another serious problem is that the plastic itself interacts with the environment. Its pieces are something like tiny sponges that absorb toxins from water and emit them upon decomposition. Animals that eat microplastic – for example, some mollusks – can transmit plastic and toxins along the food chain. A similar problem is already observed in the Great Lakes USA that is contaminated with tiny packaging grains polystyrene foam.
Water Insects Plastic
