Using Plastic Garbage, Coastal Species Are Now Travelling To Uncharted Territories

Plastics are us, literally! We have polluted the oceans with so much plastic that marine life is learning to live with it.?

A new study published in the journal Nature Communications claims that large swathes of plastic waste floating in the oceans are providing "artificial habitat" for species that otherwise live on the coast - where land and ocean meet.

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Coastal species limited to coasts no more

According to the study's authors, floating water bottles, old toothbrushes and matted fishing nets are being used by coastal species to seek shelter.

Plastic's role in transporting coastal species across oceans was first noted in the aftermath of Japan's devastating 2011 tsunami, whereby 300 species of Asian marine life used buoyant plastic garbage to float towards North American shores, disproving all assumptions about coastal marine species.

Also read:?Microplastics From Packaging & Soda Bottles Travel In Atmosphere Across Continents Through Wind

Now, there's a term for these species that want to break free from the limiting nature of coastal existence. Called "neopelagic communities," the species include brittle stars, shrimp, barnacles, and more. These species use plastic garbage to float away, literally. They go where the currents take them.

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While ocean plastic essentially means the slow demise of species that inhabit the water bodies, it may be helping coastal species travel to uncharted territories. At least something good came out of the systematic destruction of ecosystems, right?

Also read:?New Research Finds Microplastics In Placentas Of Unborn Babies

A recent analysis also shed light on how microplastics are affecting human health. In a petri dish, microplastics were able to kill human cells and to cause degradation unlike anything noted earlier.

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Did you know that coastal species are now filling their curiosity cups via plastic? Share with us in the comments below.?For more in the world of?tech and science, keep reading?Indiatimes.com.

Citation

Matei, A. (2021, December 10). Coastal species are forming colonies on plastic trash in the ocean, study finds. The Guardian.?