The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is a vast collection of marine debris, spanning the North Pacific Ocean and comprising two main patches. According to National Geographic, the debris moves between patches via the North Pacific Subtropical Convergence Zone.
The vast island of floating plastic trash, around 1.6 million square km as of 2018, reflects humanity's throwaway culture and its impact on wildlife. Therefore, understanding its formation and finding solutions to combat it is crucial.
Impact of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch on Earth and Humanity
The vast region of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch is bound by the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre, where ocean currents draw debris, mainly microplastics, into a stable center, creating a vortex of plastic waste and non-biodegradable materials. It covers around 1.6 million square kilometers and consists of tiny plastic particles mixed with larger items like fishing gear.
The office of the Marine Debris Program of NOAA explained in the administration's website that one major concern of garbage patches is entanglement and ghost fishing, where marine animals can become trapped, injured, or even killed by lost fishing nets, often referred to as "ghost" nets. Additionally, plastic debris with loops, like six-pack rings or packing straps, can entangle and hook onto wildlife.
Another issue is ingestion, as animals may unknowingly consume plastic and debris, which can be detrimental to the health of fish, seabirds, and other marine species. These ingested items can take up space in their stomachs, leading to a false sense of fullness and preventing them from consuming actual food.
Furthermore, marine debris can facilitate the transport of non-native species from one location to another. Organisms such as algae, barnacles, and crabs can attach themselves to debris and be carried across oceans. If these species are invasive and manage to establish themselves in a new environment, they can outcompete and disrupt native species, causing disturbances in the ecosystem.
In terms of human health, garbage patches' impact remains uncertain, although exposure to microplastics is possible through various sources like seafood, sea salt, tap water, and other food items. Researchers are actively studying this issue.
Garbage patches can also pose risks to navigation, as debris floating beneath the water's surface can damage vessels and create hazards. The size and locations of these patches are unlikely to change significantly, but the amount of debris entering the ocean each year may continue to grow, exacerbating environmental safety and economic concerns.
Thriving Ecosystem in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch
A recent study published in the Nature Ecology & Evolution journal found that various coastal invertebrate organisms have thrived and reproduced on plastic debris floating in the ocean for extended periods. This suggests that plastic pollution in the ocean might be facilitating the development of new floating ecosystems for species not typically found in the open ocean.
The researchers were surprised to discover that 80% of the identified species on the debris were coastal organisms, contrary to their expectations of mostly open ocean species. They also observed both coastal and open ocean species on two-thirds of the debris, indicating potential competition and interactions between the communities.
However, the consequences of introducing new species into remote ocean areas are not fully understood, and it remains unclear how these creatures reach the open ocean and sustain themselves there.
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